If you own or manage a residential building, fire safety probably sits at the back of your mind—until a letter arrives, an inspection is booked, or a resident asks a question you’re not fully sure how to answer. The Building Safety Act 2022 changed that reality. Fire safety is no longer something you “mostly” document. It now requires clear records, shared information, and proof of action.
One of the most important outcomes of these changes is the fire safety information pack. This pack brings together the information residents, authorities, and responsible persons need to understand how fire safety is handled in a building. If you’re unsure what must be included, who creates it, or whether your building is covered, this guide by Fire Safety Specialists Ltd is designed to walk you through it step by step.
A fire safety information pack is a collection of documents that explain how fire safety is managed within a residential building. It pulls together records that previously existed in separate places—or sometimes not at all—and makes them accessible to residents and enforcing authorities.
The reason this pack now matters is simple. The Building Safety Act 2022, alongside updates to the Fire Safety Order and Regulations 2022, placed a stronger focus on transparency and accountability. Authorities no longer rely on verbal assurances. They expect written evidence showing that fire safety risks are understood, managed, and communicated.
For residents, the pack provides reassurance. For building owners and managers, it acts as proof that fire safety responsibilities are being taken seriously and handled in line with current legislation.
Before listing what’s required, it helps to understand the goal. Section 156 of the Building Safety Act focuses on clear records and shared responsibility. The pack is not about paperwork for its own sake. It’s about showing that fire safety is planned, reviewed, and communicated.
A compliant fire safety information pack should include:
When organised properly, this pack becomes a working document. It should be updated when risks change, management changes, or assessments are reviewed.
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Section 156 did not replace existing fire safety law. Instead, it strengthened and clarified it. Understanding these changes helps explain why the information pack is now essential.
Before Section 156, only certain buildings had to keep a fully written fire risk assessment. This is no longer the case. All responsible persons must now record their fire risk assessment in full, regardless of the size, type, or use of the building.
Responsible persons must now record who carried out or reviewed the fire risk assessment. This removes uncertainty, ensures competence can be checked, and makes responsibility clear if issues arise.
When responsibility for a building changes, relevant fire safety information must be shared with the incoming responsible person. This prevents safety gaps and ensures fire risks continue to be managed without interruption.
Together, these changes support a whole-building approach to fire safety, where risks are managed continuously rather than treated as a one-off compliance task.
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This is one of the most common areas of confusion, so it’s important to be clear.
If a building contains two or more flats and includes shared areas, it is generally covered by fire safety information requirements. These shared spaces—such as corridors, stairwells, and entrances—are where most fire safety responsibilities apply.
Some duties increase as a building reaches certain height thresholds. However, basic fire safety information duties apply to lower-rise buildings as well, not just high-rise properties.
The fire safety information pack does not apply inside individual private flats unless they form part of a multi-occupied building. The legal focus remains on common parts and shared safety measures.
As a general rule, if a building has shared corridors, stairwells, or access routes, it will almost always fall within scope.
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Responsibility sits with the responsible person, but that role can vary depending on how a building is owned or managed. In practice, it usually works as follows:
The key point is simple: responsibility cannot be ignored or assumed. It must be clearly identified, recorded, and maintained at all times.
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Fire safety information only works when people can access it easily and understand it clearly. For this reason, the law now requires information to be shared in a clear, usable, and practical format.
Residents must receive information that explains fire risks, the fire safety measures in place, and what actions to take in an emergency. This information should be written in plain language, making it easy to follow rather than hidden behind technical terms.
For enforcing authorities, certain details—such as building plans or fire risk information—may need to be shared electronically with the local fire and rescue service. Each service may set its own preferred format, so checking local guidance is essential.
Sharing fire safety information is not optional. It is a core part of compliance and a key element of protecting residents and buildings.
You may also read: Getting and Sharing Your Building’s Fire Risk Assessment
Understanding how enforcement works helps you focus on what matters most. Fire safety rules are not guidance. They are legally enforceable duties.
Enforcement is not designed to punish first. It exists to reduce risk and prevent harm. However, ignoring fire safety duties can quickly lead to serious legal and financial consequences.
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If your building falls within scope, a fire safety information pack is no longer optional. It is a legal requirement that proves fire safety risks are understood, managed, and communicated. Creating it properly now avoids confusion, enforcement action, and unnecessary risk later.
Fire safety law has shifted from intent to evidence. The Building Safety Act 2022 made it clear that responsibility must be documented, shared, and maintained over time. A well-prepared fire safety information pack is the simplest way to meet those expectations.
If you treat the pack as a living document—reviewed, updated, and shared—it becomes a tool, not a burden. And more importantly, it helps keep residents safe.
Yes. You may complete your own fire risk assessment, but you remain responsible for ensuring it is suitable and sufficient. If another person carries it out, their competence must be clear, in line with the Fire Safety Order and the Building Safety Act 2022. For further clarification, please read: Who Can Perform a Fire Risk Assessment: Landlord or Professional?
Yes, in some cases. If a residential building has shared areas, fire safety responsibilities may still apply regardless of how many flats are occupied.
Buildings with no shared parts are usually exempt. However, mixed-use or shared-access buildings may still fall under fire safety legislation introduced by the Safety Act.
Each fire and rescue service sets its own process, often electronic. Always check local guidance to ensure compliance with the Regulations 2022.
A building owner should review records, complete or update the fire safety information pack, and ensure fire safety arrangements meet the new duties introduced under section 156 from October 2023.
