Fire Risk Assessment Canterbury
Canterbury has historic city-centre shops and cafés, guest accommodation, and houses shared by students. A fire risk assessment has to follow the building you control. Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the local fire and rescue service. This online assessment is independent of it.
Serving Canterbury businesses in the area covered by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. We are independent of the fire service.
Who needs a fire risk assessment in Canterbury?
City-centre shops, cafés and offices
A straightforward workplace in Canterbury can use the online assessment. Record the escape routes, alarm and the people who may be on the premises, including visitors who do not know the building.
Guest accommodation
Hotels, guest houses and rooms let to visitors are premises where people sleep. Assess the escape route from bedrooms and how guests would be warned. A complex or larger building may need an assessor visit.
Shared houses
Canterbury City Council's HMO pages describe the national licence for a large HMO. The council's application page asks for a fire risk assessment among the documents. The pages we checked do not describe an additional or selective licensing scheme.
Fire safety duties in Canterbury
Fire safety duties in England
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to relevant premises in Canterbury, including workplaces and the shared parts of HMOs and flats. The responsible person must ensure a suitable and sufficient assessment and act on it.
Local fire authority
Kent Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service for Canterbury and the rest of Kent. 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assessment when the layout, use, occupancy or risk changes, after an incident, or when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid.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 Canterbury
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 Canterbury
The online assessment can be completed for Canterbury premises, including addresses in CT1 and CT2. Canterbury City Council's district also includes Whitstable (CT5), Herne Bay (CT6) and rural parishes that use CT3 and CT4. It is the same UK-wide online service. Kent Fire and Rescue Service covers the wider county. For a site visit, confirm that the appointment and assessment scope cover your exact address before relying on a booking.
Canterbury fire authority, council and postcodes
Kent Fire and Rescue Service covers Canterbury. This service does not have a Canterbury office, a local phone number or staff based in the city.
Canterbury City Council's page 'Find out if you need an HMO licence' sets out the national test for a large HMO: five or more people forming more than one household and sharing facilities. Its application page lists a fire risk assessment as one of the documents for a licence application, and says the property needs planning permission for HMO use before you apply. We did not find an additional or selective licensing scheme described on those pages. Check with the council, because designations change.
This service does not produce fire strategy reports.
Common Fire Risks in Canterbury Properties
Premises in the city centre are often older shops, cafés and rooms above them. Streets used by students have shared houses. The questions ask about your layout, escape routes and the people who use the building.
Older shops and rooms above
A shop with accommodation above needs a check of how the two parts are separated and whether they share an escape route.
Shared houses
A single staircase, bedroom doors onto the hall, and items stored in the escape route are the usual points to record in a shared house.
Hospitality
Cafés, pubs and restaurants combine cooking, members of the public and, sometimes, basement or upper-floor seating. Keep the assessment matched to how the rooms are actually used.
Complete Your Canterbury 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 Canterbury?
Use the existing online form to enter your Canterbury 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.