Fire safety information for residents: what you must give them

If you're responsible for a block of flats in England, the law says you must give residents fire safety instructions and information about fire doors. This guide explains what to include, when to give it, and how to keep a record.

Who this applies to

• Buildings in England with two or more flats and shared areas (the common parts) that residents would use to escape in a fire.
• The responsible person. For a block of flats, that's usually the freeholder, the residents' management company or right to manage company, or a managing agent acting for them.
• The rules come from the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which came into force on 23 January 2023.

Fire safety instructions

You must give residents instructions, in a form they can reasonably be expected to understand, covering:

• the evacuation strategy for the building, such as stay put or simultaneous evacuation;
• how to report a fire to the fire and rescue service; and
• anything else residents must do once a fire has happened.

The evacuation strategy must match your building's fire risk assessment. You must also display the instructions somewhere obvious in the shared areas.

Fire door information

Residents must be told that:

• fire doors should be kept shut when not in use;
• residents and their guests should not tamper with the self-closing devices on fire doors; and
• residents should report any fault or damage to fire doors straight away to the responsible person.

It helps to explain why: fire doors hold back fire and smoke, so people can escape and firefighters can work.

When to give it

• To new residents, as soon as reasonably practicable after they move in.
• To all residents, at least once every 12 months.
• Again, if the fire safety instructions change significantly.

Taller buildings have extra duties

• Over 11 metres (usually 4 or more storeys): check the fire doors in the shared areas at least every 3 months, and make best efforts to check flat front doors at least once a year.
• 18 metres or more, or 7 or more storeys: further duties, including building plans for the fire service, a secure information box, wayfinding signs, monthly checks of firefighting lifts and equipment, and residential personal emergency evacuation plans (from 6 April 2026).

Keep a record

Keep a note of when each flat received the information and how, and when the instructions were displayed. A record helps you show the fire service what you've done if they ask.

How Resident Fire Safety helps

Enter your building's details once. Resident Fire Safety produces the resident leaflet and the notice for your shared areas, using wording based on the regulations. It keeps a record of which flats have received it, and shows you when the next pack is due.

Resident Fire Safety doesn't replace a fire risk assessment. The evacuation strategy must come from yours.

Source: The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

Common questions