Fire safety requirements for high-rise residential buildings

What counts as a high-rise residential building?

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 define a high-rise residential building using specific height and storey thresholds. Your building is classified as high-rise if it meets either threshold - you do not need to meet both.

Who must comply with high-rise requirements?

The responsible person for the building must comply with these requirements. In multi-occupied residential buildings, this is typically:

• The freeholder or building owner - usually responsible for structure and common parts
• A management company - if they control the common parts under the lease
• A managing agent - if given sufficient control by the freeholder
• A Resident Management Company (RMC) - if they own the freehold or control the building
• Housing associations and local authorities - for their housing stock

There can be multiple responsible persons in the same building. If so, each is responsible for the areas under their control, and all must cooperate and coordinate with each other.

Requirement 1: Install a secure information box

Under Regulation 4 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, you must install and maintain a secure information box in or on your high-rise building. This provides the Fire and Rescue Service with immediate access to critical building information when they arrive at an incident.

What the secure information box must contain

The secure information box must contain:

• Hard copy floor plans for each floor of the building - showing the layout, flat numbers, escape routes, and fire safety equipment locations
• A building orientation plan - a single page showing the overall layout, entry points, and how the building relates to surrounding areas
• Name and UK contact details of the responsible person - firefighters need to be able to contact you during an incident

Location and access

Position the box where firefighters can access it quickly when they arrive. This is typically:

• In the entrance lobby or near the main entrance
• Adjacent to the firefighters' entrance if different from the main entrance
• Clearly visible and accessible without needing to enter secure areas

The box must use a locking system compatible with Fire and Rescue Service equipment. In most areas, this means a Gerda key (the standard fire service key). Check with your local fire and rescue service for their specific requirements.

Keeping information up to date

You must maintain the secure information box in good working order and keep the information current. Review and update:

• Whenever the building layout changes (conversions, extensions, major alterations)
• If fire safety equipment is moved or upgraded
• When the responsible person changes (name or contact details)
• At least annually as part of your fire risk assessment review

Requirement 2: Prepare and maintain floor plans

Under Regulation 6, you must prepare floor plans that meet specific requirements. These are more detailed than basic architect's drawings - they must show information firefighters need during an incident.

What floor plans must show

For each floor of the building, your plans must include:

• Floor number clearly marked
• Layout of flats, corridors, and stairwells
• Location of firefighting equipment - dry risers, wet risers, hose reels, extinguishers
• Firefighter lifts - if present, clearly marked
• Smoke ventilation systems - location of controls and outlets
• Emergency lighting locations
• Fire alarm call points and panels
• Refuge areas for disabled persons if present

Building orientation plan

In addition to individual floor plans, you need a single-page building orientation plan showing:

• Overall building footprint and shape
• North point for orientation
• Vehicle access points
• Firefighting access points
• Location of secure information box
• Any critical external features (balconies, cladding, external rescue routes)

Providing copies to the Fire and Rescue Authority

You must provide electronic copies of your floor plans and building orientation plan to your local Fire and Rescue Authority. They need these for pre-incident planning - familiarising crews with buildings in their area before an emergency occurs.

Contact your local Fire and Rescue Service to find out how they want to receive these documents and what format they prefer.

Requirement 3: Install wayfinding signage

Under Regulation 8, you must install wayfinding signage throughout your building to help firefighters navigate during an incident, when conditions may include smoke, low visibility, and time pressure.

What wayfinding signage must include

Your wayfinding signage must:

• Show the floor number on every floor - visible when exiting lifts and entering stairwells
• Identify each stairwell with a unique identifier - if your building has multiple stairwells, each needs a different designation (e.g., Stairwell A, Stairwell B, or Stairwell North, Stairwell South)
• Be visible in reduced visibility conditions - signs must work when smoke is present or mains power has failed

Specifications for signage

Signs should be:

• Photoluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) - charged by ambient light, visible when power fails
• Positioned at eye level - typically 1.4 to 1.7 metres from the floor
• Large enough to read from a reasonable distance - consider that firefighters will be wearing breathing apparatus and may have impaired vision
• Robust and durable - able to withstand regular cleaning and the building environment

Maintaining wayfinding signage

Check signage regularly to ensure:

• Signs are not damaged, defaced, or obscured
• Photoluminescent properties are still effective (signs that have faded may need replacement)
• Floor numbers still match actual floor designations
• Stairwell identifiers are consistent with your floor plans

Requirement 4: Monthly checks of essential firefighting equipment (Regulation 7)

Under Regulation 7 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, responsible persons for high-rise residential buildings must carry out monthly routine checks of essential firefighting equipment. This covers specialised equipment that firefighters and residents depend on during emergencies.

Requirement 5: Fire door inspections

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced mandatory fire door inspection requirements for buildings 11 metres or higher. For high-rise buildings (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys), these requirements definitely apply.

There are two different inspection frequencies depending on where the fire doors are located:

What fire door inspections must check

Each inspection should verify:

• Closing mechanism - the door closes fully and latches on its own without needing a push
• Self-closing device - overhead closer or rising butt hinges are working correctly
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals - intact, continuous, and not painted over
• Gaps around the frame - no gaps exceeding 3mm when the door is closed
• Hinges - secure, correct number (usually 3), fire-rated specification
• Door leaf - no damage, holes, unauthorised letterboxes, cat flaps, or other modifications
• Glazing - if present, must be fire-rated glass with correct certification markings

For detailed guidance on fire door inspections, see our related guide on fire door inspections and building safety duties.

Record keeping

Keep records of all fire door inspections including:

• Date of inspection
• Who conducted the inspection
• Doors inspected (by location or unique identifier)
• Findings and any defects identified
• Remedial actions taken and completion dates

Fire and Rescue Authorities can request these records during inspections. If you cannot demonstrate that inspections have taken place, you may face enforcement action.

Requirement 5: Provide information to residents

Under Regulation 9 (for all residential buildings with 2+ units) and with enhanced requirements for high-rise buildings, you must provide fire safety information to all residents.

What information to provide

For high-rise buildings, residents must receive:

• The building's evacuation strategy - whether it operates a 'stay put' policy or simultaneous evacuation, and what this means for them
• What to do if they discover a fire - typically: alert others in your flat, leave closing doors behind you, activate the fire alarm if present, call 999
• What to do if the fire alarm sounds - depends on the evacuation strategy
• How fire doors work and why they must stay closed - explaining that wedging doors open compromises the building's compartmentation
• Who the responsible person is and how to contact them - so residents can report fire safety concerns
• How to report fire safety concerns - a clear process for residents to raise issues

Additional requirements for high-rise buildings

For high-rise residential buildings (18m+ or 7+ storeys), residents also have the right to request:

• Information about external wall systems - including what materials are used in the external walls and cladding
• Results of your fire risk assessment - the significant findings, not necessarily the full document
• Any remedial actions you have taken or plan to take - following fire risk assessment or external wall survey

You must respond to these requests promptly - within a reasonable timeframe. If residents have legitimate concerns about external wall materials, refusing to provide information will damage trust and may indicate you are not meeting your duties.

Accessibility and format

Fire safety information must be:

• Clear and easy to understand - avoid technical jargon where possible
• Accessible to all residents - consider different languages spoken in your building, large print versions, and other accessibility needs
• Kept up to date - if your evacuation strategy changes or the responsible person changes, update the information promptly

Requirement 6: External wall assessment

The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirms that your fire risk assessment must cover the external walls of the building. This is particularly critical for high-rise buildings given the speed at which fire can spread externally on tall buildings.

What your fire risk assessment must cover

Your fire risk assessment must include the external walls, meaning:

• Cladding systems - all types, not just aluminium composite material (ACM)
• External wall insulation - materials and how they are fixed
• Balconies - construction materials, decking, and how they connect to the building structure
• Windows and window surrounds - materials and cavity barriers
• Cavity barriers between floors - whether they exist and are intact
• Anything attached to the external wall - signage, air conditioning units, solar panels

When you need an External Wall Survey (EWS1)

For complex cladding systems, you may need an External Wall Survey conducted by a qualified fire engineer. This is particularly relevant if:

• Your building has any form of combustible cladding
• Your fire risk assessment identifies external wall risks that need specialist assessment
• Leaseholders need EWS1 certificates for mortgage or sale purposes
• Your insurer requests an EWS1 assessment

An EWS1 form records the fire engineer's assessment of the external wall system. Ratings range from A1 (no combustible materials present) to B2 (combustible materials present, remediation required).

Link to the Building Safety Act 2022

If your building is high-rise (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys), you likely also have duties under the Building Safety Act 2022. The two regimes overlap but serve different purposes and have different enforcers.

Two regulators to satisfy

For high-rise residential buildings in England, you must comply with:

• Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 - enforced by your local Fire and Rescue Authority. Covers the requirements in this guide: secure information box, floor plans, wayfinding signage, fire door inspections, resident information.
• Building Safety Act 2022 - enforced by the Building Safety Regulator (part of HSE). Creates the Accountable Person role, building registration requirements, safety case reports, and the 'golden thread' of building information.

See our guide on Building Safety Act compliance for higher-risk buildings for details on the separate Building Safety Act requirements.

Penalties for non-compliance

Failure to comply with fire safety duties is a criminal offence with serious penalties. Since the Grenfell Tower fire, enforcement has intensified significantly, with Fire and Rescue Authorities conducting more inspections and prosecuting more cases involving high-rise buildings.

What gets prosecuted

Fire and Rescue Authorities have successfully prosecuted responsible persons for failures including:

• No fire risk assessment or inadequate assessment that omits external walls
• Fire doors failing to close properly or missing fire door inspections
• Blocked or obstructed escape routes
• Failure to provide fire safety information to residents
• Inadequate maintenance of fire detection and alarm systems

Fines for fire safety failures in residential buildings have ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Directors and officers can be personally prosecuted if the offence was committed with their consent, connivance, or attributable to their neglect.

Action plan for high-rise building compliance

Common compliance failures to avoid

• No secure information box or empty box - the box must contain current, accurate information, not just exist
• Out-of-date floor plans - if you have made alterations to the building, update the plans
• Missing or faded wayfinding signage - signs must be legible and photoluminescent properties must still work
• Missed fire door inspections - quarterly and annual schedules must be maintained; one-off checks are not compliant
• Fire doors failing to close properly - the most common finding on fire authority inspections
• No resident communication - residents must receive fire safety information proactively, not only when they ask
• Fire risk assessment does not cover external walls - this is now explicitly required by the Fire Safety Act 2021
• Confusing Fire Safety Regulations with Building Safety Act - these are separate regimes with separate requirements
• Assuming the managing agent handles everything - legal responsibility cannot be delegated; check what your agent is actually doing