From the MetroFire desk.
Regulations explained, standards translated, mistakes called out. Practical fire safety reading for FMs, RPs and building owners.
BS 5839 Fire Alarm Servicing — What Compliance Actually Looks Like
Most fire alarms in the UK are technically non-compliant with BS 5839 — not because the systems are broken, but because the paperwork is. Here is the real-world checklist.
12 May 2026 · 7 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleThe Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — A Plain-English Guide
In force since January 2023, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced hard duties on high-rise residential blocks. Here is what you must do, by building height.
21 April 2026 · 9 min read · MetroFire Compliance Team
Read articleResponsible Person Duties — What the Law Actually Asks of You
The Responsible Person is the cornerstone of UK fire safety law. Most people in the role do not realise the breadth of what they are accountable for. Here is the full picture.
30 March 2026 · 8 min read · MetroFire Senior Consultant
Read articleBS 8674:2025 Explained — The New British Standard for FRA Competence
BS 8674:2025 is the first British Standard to define what a competent fire risk assessor actually looks like. Here is what it changes, who it affects, and how to check yours measures up.
28 May 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articlePAS 79-1 vs PAS 79-2 — Which Fire Risk Assessment Do You Need?
PAS 79 is the methodology behind virtually every UK fire risk assessment. Since 2020 it has split into two parts — one for non-domestic premises and one for housing. Here is what changed.
22 May 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleRegulation 10 Fire Door Checks — A Plain-English Guide for Block Managers
Since January 2023, Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 has required quarterly checks on flat entrance doors and annual checks on communal doors in 11m+ residential blocks. Here is exactly what to do.
15 May 2026 · 7 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleBAFE SP205 V6.0 — Why Your Fire Safety Provider Needs It in 2026
BAFE SP205 V6.0 became the in-force life-safety FRA scheme on 31 March 2026. It is now the de facto organisational standard for fire risk assessment providers. Here is what it actually means for your contract.
8 May 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleThe Building Safety Act 2022 — Accountable Person Duties Explained
The Building Safety Act 2022 created a new safety regime for higher-risk buildings. If you own, manage or have control of a residential building over 18m or 7 storeys, the duties are extensive and the penalties are unlimited.
30 April 2026 · 8 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleHow Much Does a Fire Risk Assessment Cost in London? (2026)
Fire risk assessment prices in London range from £250 for a single shop to over £6,000 for a Type 4 destructive survey on a 20-storey block. Here is what drives the price — and how to get a fair quote.
22 April 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleType 1, 2, 3 and 4 Fire Risk Assessments — What Each Type Actually Covers
The four types of fire risk assessment are widely misunderstood. Most blocks need Type 1. Some need Type 4. Picking the wrong one wastes money — or worse, leaves a major safety risk unidentified.
18 April 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleFire Extinguisher Types — Which One for Which Fire? (UK Guide 2026)
The wrong extinguisher on the wrong fire can make things worse — sometimes catastrophically. Here is the UK colour-code system, fire classes A through F, and which extinguisher belongs where.
12 April 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleFire Alarm Categories L1 to L5 — Which Do You Need?
BS 5839-1 defines six fire alarm system categories from L1 (maximum life safety) to P2 (limited property protection). Picking the wrong category over-protects, or worse, under-protects. Here is a practical guide.
5 April 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleCompartmentation Surveys — Type 1 to Type 4 Explained
Compartmentation is the invisible fire safety control. Decades of M&E works, refurbs and lazy reinstatement turn fire-resisting walls into Swiss cheese. Compartmentation surveys are how you find — and fix — the holes.
28 March 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleHow Often Should a Fire Alarm Be Serviced in the UK?
BS 5839-1 sets the cadence: weekly user tests, six-monthly engineer services. Skipping any of these can render the system non-compliant — even if it physically works.
22 March 2026 · 4 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleHow Often Should Fire Extinguishers Be Tested in the UK?
BS 5306-3 sets three cadences: monthly visual checks, annual basic service, 5-year extended service (10 for CO₂). Skipping any of them is one of the most common enforcement findings.
15 March 2026 · 4 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleDo I Need a Fire Risk Assessment for My HMO?
Yes — and it is your responsibility as landlord. HMO fire safety is governed by the Fire Safety Order, the Housing Act 2004 and local authority HMO licensing. Here is what you must do.
10 March 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleFire Door Gaps — What Is Acceptable Under BS 8214?
A fire door is only fire-rated when its gaps are right. Too tight and it binds. Too wide and the seals cannot bridge it. Here is the actual UK guidance.
4 March 2026 · 4 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleWhat Is NFRAR? The IFSM Register Explained
NFRAR — the National Fire Risk Assessors Register — is the IFSM-administered register of individual UK fire risk assessors. Here is what it is, what it covers, and why it matters for your FRA.
25 February 2026 · 4 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleEmergency Lighting Testing — What BS 5266 Actually Requires
BS 5266 emergency lighting testing is simple in principle and frequently fumbled in practice. Here is the cadence, the test specifics and the documentation enforcers ask for.
18 February 2026 · 4 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleRestaurant Kitchen Fire Suppression — What UK Law Requires
Cooking is the single largest cause of fires in UK premises. Kitchen suppression is the engineering control that keeps a fryer fire from becoming an evacuation. Here is what the rules actually demand.
12 February 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleSchool Fire Risk Assessment — A Headteacher's Checklist
Schools combine high occupancy, young occupants, ageing buildings and complex risk. A school FRA is one of the more demanding assessment types. Here is what your headteacher should be asking.
5 February 2026 · 6 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleFire Safety in HMOs — A Landlord's Practical Guide
HMO fire safety law is layered, locally varied and aggressively enforced. This guide walks through what an HMO landlord must do, what good looks like, and where most fall down.
28 January 2026 · 7 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleCommercial Office Fire Safety — A 12-Point Compliance Checklist
Most commercial offices are between annual FRA reviews and assume "it was OK last year". This 12-point checklist is what we use on the first walk of any new commercial site.
20 January 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read articleFire Stopping — Why Third-Party Accreditation Matters
Anyone can buy intumescent sealant and a tube of fire-rated foam. Few people are competent to install it as a defensible system. The difference is third-party accreditation — and it matters more than ever post-Grenfell.
12 January 2026 · 5 min read · MetroFire Engineering Team
Read article