Guide
Fire risk assessment cost: what you'll actually pay in 2026
Updated
A fire risk assessment fee buys an assessor's time on site plus a written, legally required record. Here is what typical 2026 quotes look like, what moves them, and how to tell a proper quote from a cheap one.
Typical costs at a glance
| Premises | Typical fee |
|---|---|
| Small office, shop or cafe, single unit | £250–£500 |
| Small block of flats or HMO, common parts | £300–£600 |
| Multi-floor office, restaurant or warehouse | £500–£1,000 |
| Care, education, sleeping-risk or high-rise premises | £1,000+, priced on scope |
These are typical market ranges, not fixed prices; London sits at the top of each band, and premises with sleeping risk (flats, HMOs, care, hotels) price above equivalent-sized workplaces because the consequence of getting it wrong is higher. The mid and upper rows above vary widely with layout and occupancy, so treat them as orientation and get quotes for your actual building.
What drives the fee
- Size and layout: the assessor walks every escape route, plant room and storage area; floors and complexity are time.
- Occupancy risk: sleeping occupants, vulnerable occupants and members of the public raise the standard the assessment must meet.
- Scope since 2021: for multi-occupied residential buildings the Fire Safety Act 2021 put the structure, external walls (including cladding and balconies) and flat entrance doors explicitly in scope, which is more to inspect and record.
- The record: since October 2023 the full findings must be recorded for every premises, so the written report is part of the job, not an optional extra. See the legal requirement guide.
Judging a quote
- Ask who will do the assessment and what their competence is. The Order requires the assessment to be suitable and sufficient; industry registers (for example the IFE and BAFE SP205 schemes) are the usual evidence of competence. A very cheap quote is usually a very short visit.
- Check the deliverable. A compliant job produces a recorded assessment with significant findings and an action plan, not a certificate. Anyone selling a bare "fire safety certificate" is selling the wrong thing.
- Compare like with like. Confirm the quote covers the whole premises you're responsible for, common parts, external walls and flat entrance doors included where relevant. Our form puts your premises in front of relevant assessors, free.