Fire Risk Assessment Bristol
Bristol has city-centre and harbourside offices and shops, converted houses, and blocks of flats. Avon Fire and Rescue Service is the local fire and rescue service. A fire risk assessment has to follow the premises, not the postcode.
Serving Bristol businesses in the area covered by Avon Fire and Rescue Service. We are independent of the fire service.
Who needs a fire risk assessment in Bristol?
Shops, offices and hospitality
A straightforward workplace in Bristol can use the online assessment. Shared buildings need a note of who maintains the common escape route and alarm.
HMO landlords
Bristol City Council's licensing pages say a citywide additional licence is required for an HMO occupied by 3 or 4 people, from 6 August 2024, and a mandatory licence where 5 or more people live there. If you already hold an additional licence, the council says you renew under the citywide scheme when it expires, before 6 August 2029.
Other private landlords
Selective licensing applies to most privately rented homes that are not HMOs in Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton from 6 August 2024, and in Bedminster and Brislington West from 6 April 2022. The council's check page is the way to confirm a street. A selective licence is not itself a fire risk assessment.
Fire safety duties in Bristol
Fire safety duties in England
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to relevant premises in Bristol. Since 1 October 2023 the assessment has to be recorded in writing. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add duties for residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises.
Local fire authority
Avon Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service for Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. We are independent of the fire service.
Coordination and review
Where several employers or occupiers share a building, exchange relevant information and coordinate precautions. Review the assessment when the layout, use, occupancy or risk changes, after an incident, or when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid.
Book a fire risk assessor in Bristol
The assessor visit option is £250 + VAT (£300 total) and includes an on-site inspection and written report. Use it when you need professional help with the assessment rather than only an online questionnaire. Describe the premises and the scope you need before booking if there are unusual or complex risks. Availability and the appointment must be confirmed separately; the visit report is not delivered instantly on payment.
Areas covered in Bristol
The online assessment can be completed for Bristol premises. BS1 to BS16 cover much of the city, but some BS postcodes are in South Gloucestershire or North Somerset, which are different councils and still in the Avon Fire and Rescue Service area. Licensing follows Bristol City Council only for addresses inside the city. It is the same UK-wide online service. This service has no Bristol office. For a site visit, confirm that the appointment and assessment scope cover your exact address before relying on a booking.
Bristol fire authority, council licensing and postcodes
Avon Fire and Rescue Service covers Bristol. This service is independent of it and has no local office or phone number in the city.
Property licensing in Bristol is ward-specific for selective licensing and citywide for additional HMO licensing. Use the council's checker rather than a postcode list on this page.
Common Fire Risks in Bristol Properties
Offices, shops, cafés, shared houses and the common parts of flats are all common. The online questions suit a straightforward premises whose responsible person can inspect it. Complex or higher-rise buildings may need an assessor visit.
Converted houses
Houses divided into flats or let room by room need a clear record of stairs, doors and detection. Unknown separation is a reason to get competent advice.
City-centre workplaces
Offices and shops near the centre and the harbour vary from a single unit to a floor in a larger building. Assess the part you control, and co-operate on shared precautions.
Blocks of flats
Common parts, flat entrance doors and external walls fall within the Fire Safety Act 2021 topics for buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises.
Complete Your Bristol Fire Risk Assessment Online
- Inspect your premises and gather relevant maintenance, alarm and evacuation information before answering.
- Enter the property details and complete the guided assessment accurately. Seek competent advice where an answer is uncertain.
- After payment and completion, download the PDF. Review its findings and act on recommendations; the report does not itself remove hazards.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Online DIY: £25 + VAT (£30 total). Flats: £45 + VAT (£54 total). HMO: £80 + VAT (£96 total). An assessor visit is fixed at £250 + VAT (£300 total); appointment arrangements are confirmed separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I carry out the assessment myself?
You may carry out your own assessment if you have the knowledge, experience and understanding of the premises needed to identify hazards, evaluate risks and decide appropriate precautions. Straightforward premises may suit a guided online assessment. If you are unsure about escape routes, fire separation, sleeping accommodation or complex risks, seek competent help. Completing a questionnaire alone does not establish legal compliance.
Will a fire service, insurer or solicitor accept my report?
We cannot guarantee acceptance by a fire and rescue service, insurer, landlord or solicitor. Ask the organisation requesting the assessment what scope and competence it requires, including whether an on-site visit is needed. A building's small size or location does not establish suitability or acceptance.
What does the online PDF include?
The online report records your answers, a calculated risk score, identified findings and prioritised recommendations. The usefulness of the report depends on accurate information about the actual premises. Check the findings, assign actions and keep evidence of the precautions and maintenance you put in place.
How much does it cost?
The standard online DIY assessment costs £25 + VAT (£30 total). The separate flats assessment is £45 + VAT (£54 total), and the HMO assessment is £80 + VAT (£96 total). The advertised assessor visit is a fixed £250 + VAT (£300 total). Choose the appropriate scope before paying; contact us if the premises or required assessment are unusual.
When will I receive the report?
For the online option, the PDF is available after payment and completion of the assessment. Allow enough time to inspect the premises and answer accurately; there is no promised assessment duration. An assessor visit requires an appointment and a subsequent written report, not an instant online PDF.
How do I arrange an assessment in Bristol?
Use the existing online form to enter your Bristol premises details and choose the appropriate assessment. If you need professional help, use the assessor booking page instead. Booking availability and the appointment must be confirmed separately. Please contact support before buying if you are unsure which route meets your needs.
Further Guidance and Help
Read the government guidance on fire risk assessments, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This is general guidance for relevant premises in England, not an assessment of your building or a guarantee of acceptance.
For questions about the online service, contact support. Browse service areas, see fire risk assessment prices or learn about fire risk assessment online.
How it works
Built around the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- 1
Tell us about your premises
Enter the responsible person and property details.
- 2
Pay a fixed price securely
One-off payment by card, processed by Stripe.
- 3
Answer the guided questions
Work through fire hazards, detection, escape routes, equipment and management.
- 4
Get your PDF report
Your report is generated when you complete the assessment, ready to download.
What's included in your report
- Executive summary with an overall risk score and risk level
- Responsible person and property details
- Findings based on your answers
- Recommendations grouped by high, medium and low priority, each with an action
- Guidance on the responsible person's duties (Article 3 of the Fire Safety Order)
- When to review your assessment
Clear, fixed prices
- Online DIY assessment£25 + VAT (£30 inc. VAT)
- Flat assessment£45 + VAT (£54 inc. VAT)
- HMO assessment£80 + VAT (£96 inc. VAT)
- On-site assessor visit£250 + VAT (£300 inc. VAT)
Each price is a one-off payment for that assessment.
Legal basis: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022; Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 in Scotland.
Secure payment: card payments are processed by Stripe.
14-day cooling-off: full refund within 14 days if the assessment hasn't been started and the report hasn't been opened. See terms.
Common questions
Is an online fire risk assessment legally acceptable?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a suitable and sufficient assessment by the responsible person, not a particular format. The online tool helps you record it. For complex, larger or higher-risk premises, book an assessor visit instead.
Is this a certificate of compliance?
No. The report is based on the information you provide and is not a certificate of compliance. If you are unsure, an on-site assessor visit (£250 + VAT) may suit you better.
Are there any hidden costs?
No. Each price is a one-off fixed payment for that assessment, shown with and without VAT before you pay.
Can I get a refund?
For online and HMO assessments you can request a full refund within 14 days if the assessment hasn't been started and the report hasn't been opened. Assessor visits can be cancelled for a full refund up to 48 hours before the appointment. See our terms for details.
What about Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The Fire Safety Order applies in England and Wales. Scotland has its own legislation, the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and our Scottish pages explain the differences.