In the world of commercial property management, some tasks are easier to sweep under the carpet than others. Fire safety often falls into this category. Because a fire hasn’t happened yet, it’s easy to assume it won’t happen tomorrow.

However, for commercial business owners, this complacency is a high-stakes gamble. Research shows that 60% of businesses that suffer a major fire never fully recover, often closing their doors permanently within two years. (Source: Twenty-4)

Why Fire Safety is Often Neglected

Many building managers treat fire safety as a once-a-year signature exercise, rather than a living safety record. Currently, UK fire safety compliance is at a 14-year low, with a satisfactory audit rate of just 57%. (Source: Direct365)

The most common reasons for failure aren’t complex – they are often simple oversights:

Blocked Escape Routes: Storing stock in corridors or blocking fire exits.

Wedged Fire Doors: Propping open doors for “convenience,” which allows fire and smoke to spread instantly.

Outdated Assessments: 38% of UK businesses are operating with an expired or non-existent Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).

New Rules: The Building Safety Act 2022 (Section 156)

If you haven’t updated your fire safety strategy since October 2023, you are likely out of compliance. Section 156 of the Building Safety Act introduced major changes that removed previous loopholes:

Written FRAs are Mandatory for Everyone: The old 5-employee rule is gone. Every business, regardless of size, must now have a written Fire Risk Assessment.

Recorded Identity: You must now record the identity of the individual or organization that carried out your assessment.

Duty to Cooperate: If you share a building with other businesses, you are legally required to share your fire safety information and contact details with the other “Responsible Persons” in the building.

The Real Cost of Reactive Fire Safety

Waiting for an inspection failure, or worse, a fire is significantly more expensive than being proactive.

Higher Costs: Reactive maintenance (fixing things only when they break) typically costs 25% to 30% more due to emergency labour rates. (Source: IPA Commercial)

Massive ROI: A proactive fire safety program delivers an average 400% return on investment through lower insurance premiums and extended equipment life. (Source: Re-Leased)

Insurance Rejection: Most commercial policies have a ‘reasonable care’ clause. If a fire occurs and your fire doors were unmaintained or your FRA was out of date, your insurer may reject your claim entirely.

Personal Liability: It’s Not Just a Business Risk

Under the Fire Safety Order, the “Responsible Person” can be held personally liable for breaches. In severe cases of negligence, this includes:

• Unlimited fines.
• Enforcement notices that can shut down your premises immediately.
• Prison sentences of up to two years for the most serious breaches.

How Expyro Simplifies Your Compliance

At Expyro, we help facilities managers and business owners move from “firefighting” problems to long-term resilience. We offer a simple, 3-step process to ensure your building is safe and legal:

The Inspection: We provide thorough Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Door Inspections, identifying exactly what needs attention.

Transparent Quoting: You receive a prioritised list of remedial works with a clear, honest quote. Our commercial pricing structure can be found here.

Certified Installation: Our team completes the necessary repairs and provides the certification you need to satisfy insurers and authorities.

Don’t wait until the audit or the emergency…

Contact Expyro today at 01702 746 808 to schedule your assessment.