Fire risk assessments in Hampshire

If you're responsible for a business, rental or public building in Hampshire, the law almost certainly expects you to have a current fire risk assessment. It's not a formality reserved for large sites — it applies to offices, shops, care homes, HMOs, industrial units and licensed premises alike.

Here's who needs one, why using someone local to Hampshire is worth it, and how I work.

Who's legally responsible

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts the duty on the "Responsible Person" — in practice the employer, building owner, landlord or managing agent. Article 9 requires that person to make a "suitable and sufficient" assessment of the fire risks people are exposed to, and to keep it under review. If people work in, sleep in, or visit your premises, that duty is almost certainly yours.

Why a local Hampshire assessor matters

A fire risk assessment isn't a desk exercise — it's a survey of the actual building, so someone has to be there. Using an assessor based in the county means no travel surcharges bolted onto the fee, easier scheduling, and someone who can get back to site if something needs a second look. I'm based in Petersfield and cover Hampshire personally, so the person who quotes is the person who turns up.

What gets assessed

Every assessment is specific to the building in front of me, not a template. Broadly I'm looking at:

• Means of escape — can everyone get out, by a protected route, from every part of the premises?
• Fire doors — the right rating, properly fitted, and actually closing.
• Detection and alarm — a system that suits the layout and reaches everywhere it needs to.
• Compartmentation — do the walls and floors genuinely hold fire back, or has that been undone by past alterations?

The report you get back is a prioritised list of what, if anything, needs doing — written so you can act on it, not a generic checklist.

Areas I cover

I carry out assessments across Hampshire, from Petersfield out to the surrounding towns. You can see the full list of areas on the Hampshire fire risk assessment page, or read more about assessments in Petersfield specifically. If your town isn't listed yet, it's still very likely within reach — get in touch and I'll confirm.

Booking one

I carry out every assessment personally, on a fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts — no day rates, no per-issue add-ons, no scope creep. If you're not sure whether you need one, or when it's due for review, it's worth a short conversation first.

Common questions

Do I legally need a fire risk assessment in Hampshire?

Yes, in almost all cases. The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person for any non-domestic premises — and the common parts of shared residential buildings — to make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep it under review. That applies across Hampshire whatever the size of the premises.

Who is responsible for the fire risk assessment?

The "Responsible Person" — usually the employer, building owner, landlord or managing agent. If you have control of the premises, the duty is most likely yours, and it can't be handed off to a tenant or a contractor.

How often does a fire risk assessment need to be reviewed?

There's no fixed expiry date, but it has to be kept up to date — reviewed regularly, and again whenever the building, its use or its occupants change significantly. For most premises an annual review is a sensible baseline.

Do you cover my part of Hampshire?

Very likely. I'm based in Petersfield and cover Hampshire and the surrounding area personally. The towns are listed on the Hampshire fire risk assessment page — if yours isn't shown yet, get in touch and I'll confirm.