Fire risk assessment in Leicester
Leicester includes city-centre retail premises, offices, restaurants and former textile factories adapted for new uses. Assess the particular building and activities you manage. Neither the premises type nor its Leicester location establishes whether you have the knowledge needed to carry out the assessment yourself.
Serving Leicester businesses in the area covered by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. We are independent of the fire service.
Who needs a fire risk assessment in Leicester?
Landlords in selective licensing areas
Since October 2022 Leicester City Council has required a licence to rent out homes in parts of Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, Westcotes, Stoneygate and Saffron, including small HMOs with up to four sharers. Licence holders must look after fire safety, and the council points landlords to a fire risk assessment. Larger HMOs need an HMO licence wherever they are in the city.
Student and shared houses
With two universities, Leicester has many houses let to students and sharers around Clarendon Park, Highfields and the city centre. The shared hallway, stairs and kitchen are covered by the Fire Safety Order: check the escape route, fire doors, alarm coverage and what is stored in common areas.
Flats above shops
Many Leicester high streets have flats above shops and takeaways. The shop and the residential common parts may have different responsible persons, so assess how a fire in the shop would affect the flats' escape route and agree who maintains the alarm and doors. With two or more flats, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also require fire safety instructions for residents.
Shops, takeaways and workshops
Restaurants, takeaways, shops, offices and former textile buildings used as workshops or storage all need an assessment. Since 1 October 2023 the whole assessment and your fire safety arrangements must be recorded in writing, whatever the size of the business.
Fire safety duties in Leicester
Fire safety duties in England
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to relevant premises in Leicester. The responsible person must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, consider those at risk and implement appropriate precautions. The assessment is a continuing responsibility, not simply a document purchased once.
Local fire authority
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service is the local fire and rescue service. We are an independent online assessment service and do not claim that the fire service endorses or automatically accepts our reports. Check any specific requirements from your landlord, insurer or solicitor.
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, following an incident, or when there is reason to believe it is no longer valid.
Book a fire risk assessor in Leicester
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 Leicester
The online service is available for premises across Leicester, including the city centre, the Cultural Quarter, Belgrave Road, Narborough Road, Clarendon Park, Highfields and Westcotes. It can also be used across Leicestershire and Rutland, which are covered by the same fire and rescue service. For a site visit, confirm that the appointment and assessment scope cover your exact address before relying on a booking.
Common Fire Risks in Leicester Properties
Leicester's former industrial buildings and mixed-use shopping streets can present different risks from a purpose-built office. Around the city centre and Belgrave Road, consider the actual use, occupancy and relationship with adjoining premises rather than relying on a generic checklist alone.
Former textile premises
An adapted mill or factory can contain concealed voids, multiple levels or construction whose fire performance is uncertain. Changes of use should be assessed on their facts; complex construction may require a competent assessor or specialist investigation.
Retail and hospitality
Consider public access, stock storage, electrical equipment and any cooking activities. Keep escape routes clear and assess the occupancy and evacuation arrangements during busy periods, including customers unfamiliar with the premises.
Shared escape routes
Check whether your unit relies on another occupier's corridor, staircase or alarm system. Confirm who maintains shared precautions and how occupants are warned. Record unresolved issues and arrange action rather than assuming another party has addressed them.
Complete Your Leicester 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 Leicester?
Use the existing online form to enter your Leicester 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.
I let a house in a Leicester selective licensing area. Do I need a fire risk assessment?
Licence holders must take care of fire safety, and Leicester City Council's selective licensing page links landlords to a fire risk assessment. For an HMO, the common parts are covered by the Fire Safety Order in any case. Check your licence conditions for the exact requirements of your property.
Can I use the service elsewhere in Leicestershire or Rutland?
Yes. The online assessment works for premises anywhere in England, including Loughborough, Hinckley, Melton Mowbray and Oakham. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service covers Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Assessor visits depend on availability and must be confirmed before booking.
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.