Guide
Provide building information to your Fire and Rescue Service
How to meet your legal duty to provide building information to your Fire and Rescue Service if you are responsible for a high-rise residential building (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys) in England. Covers secure information boxes, floor plans, external wall information, and keeping records up to date.
If you are the responsible person for a high-rise residential building in England, you have a legal duty to provide certain building information to your local Fire and Rescue Service. This information helps firefighters respond quickly and safely if there is an incident at your building.
These requirements were introduced by the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which came into force on 23 January 2023. They implement key recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report, which found that firefighters responding to the disaster lacked crucial information about the building.
This guide explains what information you must provide, how to provide it, and how to keep it up to date.
Who this applies to
You must comply with these requirements if you are the responsible person for a high-rise residential building. A high-rise residential building is one that:
- is 18 metres or higher, or has at least 7 storeys
- contains at least 2 residential units (flats, maisonettes, or similar dwellings)
You only need to meet one of the height thresholds - 18 metres or 7 storeys. If your building meets either, these requirements apply.
The responsible person is typically the freeholder, a management company, a managing agent with sufficient control, a Resident Management Company (RMC), or a housing association. There may be multiple responsible persons for different parts of the same building.
Overview of your information duties
You must provide your Fire and Rescue Service with:
- A secure information box - installed in or on the building, containing hard copy floor plans and your contact details
- Floor plans - showing the layout and fire safety equipment on each floor, provided electronically to the Fire and Rescue Authority
- External wall information - details of construction materials and fire safety features in your external walls
You must keep all this information up to date and provide it to the Fire and Rescue Authority when they request it.
1. Install a secure information box
You must install and maintain a secure information box in or on your building. This provides firefighters with immediate access to critical building information when they arrive at an incident.
What to put in the secure information box
The secure information box must contain:
- Hard copy floor plans for every floor of the building - see the floor plan requirements below
- A building plan - a single page showing the overall building layout, orientation, and entry points
- Your name and UK contact details - as the responsible person, firefighters may need to contact you during an incident
Where to install the box
Position the secure information box where firefighters can reach it quickly when they arrive. This is typically:
- in the main entrance lobby
- near the firefighter entrance if different from the main entrance
- somewhere clearly visible and accessible without needing keys or security codes
The box must use a locking system that is compatible with Fire and Rescue Service equipment. In most areas of England, this means a Gerda key lock. Check with your local Fire and Rescue Service for their specific requirements.
2. Prepare floor plans
You must prepare floor plans that show firefighters the information they need to navigate your building and locate fire safety equipment during an incident.
What your floor plans must show
For each floor of the building, your floor plans must clearly show:
- Floor number - clearly marked
- Layout - corridors, stairwells, flat positions, and common areas
- Firefighting equipment - location of dry risers, wet risers, hose reels, and fire extinguishers
- Firefighter lifts - if present, clearly marked
- Smoke ventilation systems - controls and outlet locations
- Fire alarm call points - locations on each floor
- Escape routes - primary and alternative routes to safety
- Refuge areas - if present, for people who cannot use stairs
You also need a single-page building orientation plan showing the overall building footprint, north point, vehicle access points, firefighting access points, and the location of the secure information box.
Providing floor plans to the Fire and Rescue Authority
You must provide electronic copies of your floor plans to your local Fire and Rescue Authority. They use these for pre-incident planning - so crews can familiarise themselves with buildings in their area before any emergency occurs.
Contact your local Fire and Rescue Service to find out:
- which email address or portal to send plans to
- what format they prefer (typically PDF)
- any specific naming conventions they use
3. Record external wall information
You must record and maintain detailed information about your building's external wall construction. This helps Fire and Rescue Authorities understand the fire risks and plan their operational response.
What to record about your external walls
Your external wall records must include:
- Materials used - all materials in the external wall system, including cladding, insulation, filler materials, and fixings
- How the wall system is designed - construction methodology, layers, and how components connect
- Fire safety features - fire stopping, cavity barriers, intumescent materials, and other fire protection measures
The information must be detailed enough for the Fire and Rescue Authority to understand the fire risks and plan how they would fight a fire at your building.
Where to get this information
Start by checking:
- original building plans and construction drawings
- fire safety strategies from the original construction
- as-built documentation and handover files
- records of any remediation work if cladding has been replaced
- your Building Safety Case report (if you are registered under the Building Safety Act)
If your records are incomplete or unavailable, you may need to commission surveys by qualified fire engineers or chartered surveyors. This is particularly likely for older buildings where original documentation has been lost.
Relationship with EWS1 surveys
An EWS1 (External Wall System) survey can provide useful information, but it serves a different purpose - EWS1 is primarily for mortgage and insurance purposes. Regulation 5 requires more comprehensive information about materials and design, regardless of the fire risk rating.
4. Submit information to your Fire and Rescue Authority
Your Fire and Rescue Authority can request building information at any time, and you must provide it as soon as reasonably practicable. Beyond responding to requests, you should proactively provide:
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Contact your local Fire and Rescue Service
Find the fire safety department or business support team for your local Fire and Rescue Authority. Ask them how they want to receive building information and what format they prefer.
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Submit electronic floor plans
Send electronic copies (typically PDF) of your floor plans for every floor and your building orientation plan. Include the building address and your contact details as the responsible person.
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Provide external wall information
Submit your external wall construction records. If you have an EWS1 survey, include this alongside your more detailed Regulation 5 records.
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Confirm secure information box location
Tell the Fire and Rescue Authority where your secure information box is located and what locking system it uses. They need to know this for operational planning.
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Provide responsible person contact details
Give the Fire and Rescue Authority a UK contact number that works 24/7 - they may need to reach you during an incident at any time of day or night.
5. Keep information up to date
You have an ongoing duty to maintain accurate information. Update your records and notify the Fire and Rescue Authority whenever:
- Building layout changes - conversions, extensions, or major alterations that affect floor plans
- Fire safety equipment changes - equipment is moved, upgraded, or removed
- External walls are altered - remediation work, new cladding, or balcony modifications
- Responsible person changes - new name, new contact details, or change of management
Regular review
Review all building information at least annually as part of your fire risk assessment review. Check that:
- floor plans accurately reflect the current building layout
- fire safety equipment locations shown on plans match reality
- external wall records are complete and current
- your contact details in the secure information box are correct
Update the hard copies in your secure information box whenever you update the electronic versions you hold.
Residents' right to request information
For buildings 18 metres or higher, residents have the right to request information about your external wall construction. You must respond to these requests as soon as reasonably practicable, at no charge to the resident.
The information you provide must be in a form the resident can reasonably understand - avoid technical jargon where possible, and explain what the materials and construction methods mean for fire safety.
This is separate from your wider resident engagement duties under the Building Safety Act 2022 (if your building is registered as a higher-risk building).
Penalties for non-compliance
Failing to provide building information to your Fire and Rescue Service is a criminal offence. Fire and Rescue Authorities are actively enforcing these requirements, particularly for high-rise residential buildings.
Potential consequences include:
- Enforcement notice - requiring you to take specific steps by a deadline
- Prosecution - with unlimited fines on conviction
- Personal liability - directors and officers can be personally prosecuted if the offence was committed with their consent, connivance, or neglect
Beyond legal penalties, failing to provide accurate building information puts residents and firefighters at risk. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry highlighted how lack of information hampered the emergency response.
Step-by-step: getting compliant
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Confirm your building meets the definition
Measure the building height (from ground level to top floor containing residential accommodation) or count the storeys. If it is 18 metres or higher, or has 7 or more storeys, and contains at least 2 residential units, these requirements apply.
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Identify who is the responsible person
Check your lease, management agreement, and ownership structure. Clarify who has control of the building's common parts and structure. If multiple parties share control, you all have duties and must cooperate.
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Procure and install a secure information box
Choose a box compatible with Fire and Rescue Service locks (typically Gerda key). Install it in the entrance lobby or near the firefighter access point. Ensure it is clearly visible and accessible.
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Prepare floor plans for every floor
Create plans showing layout, fire safety equipment, escape routes, and all elements listed above. Prepare a single-page building orientation plan. Have plans printed in a size that is legible.
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Populate the secure information box
Place hard copies of all floor plans, the building orientation plan, and a card or sheet with your name and 24/7 UK contact details in the box.
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Compile external wall information
Gather all documentation about your external wall construction. If records are incomplete, commission professional surveys to fill the gaps.
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Contact your local Fire and Rescue Authority
Find out how they want to receive electronic floor plans and external wall information. Ask about preferred formats and submission methods.
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Submit all information electronically
Send floor plans, building orientation plan, and external wall records to the Fire and Rescue Authority in the format they specified.
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Set up a review schedule
Diary at least annual reviews of all building information. Update records and resubmit to the Fire and Rescue Authority when changes occur.
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Keep records of compliance
Maintain evidence that you have installed the secure information box, submitted floor plans, and provided external wall information. Fire inspectors will ask to see this.
Related requirements
If your building is high-rise (18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys), you also have duties to:
- Install wayfinding signage - floor numbers and stairwell identifiers visible in reduced visibility conditions
- Inspect fire doors - quarterly for communal doors, annually for flat entrance doors
- Provide fire safety information to residents - including evacuation strategy and how to report concerns
If your building is 18 metres or higher, or 7+ storeys, you likely also have separate duties under the Building Safety Act 2022, including registering with the Building Safety Regulator and appointing an Accountable Person. These are separate requirements with a different enforcer.