Fire Safety: What changed — in one line PAS 79-2:2020 (housing) has been withdrawn and replaced by BS 9792:2025 – Fire risk assessment. Housing. Code of practice. Effective from 31 August 2025, BS 9792 is now the UK benchmark for residential Fire Risk Assessments.

Why this matters (especially for London landlords and managing agents)

• It’s now the national standard for housing FRAs, with a clearer framework, refreshed reporting forms, and guidance aligned to post-Grenfell law and current practice. (BSI)
• It confirms the step up from PAS 79-2: BS 9792 is a full British Standard revision; PAS 79-2 was withdrawn on 6 August 2021. (BSI)
• Non-housing remains unchanged: PAS 79-1:2020 still applies to non-domestic premises such as offices, schools, and warehouses. (BSI Knowledge)

BS 9792:2025 — scope snapshot Applies to:

• HMOs
• Purpose-built and converted blocks of flats/maisonettes
• Specialised housing (e.g., supported and sheltered schemes)
• Student accommodation
• Access/common areas serving residential parts of mixed-use buildings

Does not apply to:

• Single private dwellings
• Short-term lets used solely as entire-unit holiday or peer-to-peer lets
• Non-domestic premises
• Residential care homes (these sit under PAS 79-1)

Key links and references:

• External walls: where relevant, appraise via PAS 9980 (FRAEW). (BSI)
• Fire detection & alarms: BS 5839-1 (non-domestic) and BS 5839-6 (domestic).

UK Fire Safety: What’s improved with BS 9792

• Structure and documentation A reorganised layout, streamlined commentary, and new model pro-formas (Annex A). Purchasers get forms designed for consistent, auditable FRAs.
• Formalised FRA “Types” (1–4) Match intrusiveness and coverage to risk:
  • Type 1 – Common parts only, non-intrusive
  • Type 2 – Common parts only, intrusive (e.g., opening risers/voids)
  • Type 3 – Common parts and sample dwellings, non-intrusive
  • Type 4 – Common parts and sample dwellings, intrusive This supports proportionate commissioning decisions. (London Fire Consultants)
• Person-Centred FRA (PCFRA) Expanded guidance and a PCFRA pro-forma (Annex E) to address individual resident needs and evacuation support in a consistent, defensible way.
• Alignment with current law and guidance Built to align with the Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and complementary use of PAS 9980 for external walls. (BSI)

Practical steps for duty holders in London

• Specifications and templates Retire PAS 79-2 templates. Use BS 9792 pro-formas and structure for all housing FRAs from now on.
• Selecting FRA Type Risk-profile each building (height, construction, resident vulnerability, history). Choose Type 1–4 accordingly. Intrusive checks (Type 2/4) are warranted where defects, refurbishment history, or suspected compartmentation issues exist. (London Fire Consultants)
• Competence and methodology BS 9792 reinforces assessor competence and sets a structured methodology. Ensure your provider evidences competency and works to the standard.
• External wall coordination If cladding/external wall risk is present or suspected, commission a PAS 9980 FRAEW alongside the housing FRA. (BSI)
• Systems interfaces Keep alarms, emergency lighting, signage, and extinguishers maintained to current British Standards (e.g., BS 5839-1/-6, BS 5306 series) so the FRA can benchmark against reliable evidence.

Your transition plan

1. Catalogue your London residential portfolio Record height/storeys, construction era, resident profile, known defects, last FRA date, and PAS 9980 status (commission where needed).
2. Set the FRA Type Use risk indicators to select Type 1–4. For first adoption of BS 9792, many start at Type 1 and escalate to Type 2/3/4 based on findings or known concerns. (London Fire Consultants)
3. Update your documentation Move to BS 9792 Annex A pro-formas (or an equivalent covering the same content). Build PCFRA processes for vulnerable residents using Annex E.
4. Integrate with maintenance Align alarm testing (BS 5839-1/-6), extinguisher servicing (BS 5306), emergency lighting, and fire door inspections with your FRA evidence and action tracking.
5. Close actions and record competence Track remediation with dated records, photos, and certificates. Retain competency evidence for assessors and contractors.
6. Plan reviews Set review intervals proportionate to risk and after significant changes (refurbishment, incidents, occupancy shifts), in line with BS 9792 recommendations.

FAQs we’re hearing

• Do we need to redo all housing FRAs now? Not immediately. Transition at the next review or new commission so methods and documentation follow BS 9792. Bring forward assessments where there are material changes or serious concerns.
• What about offices and plant rooms? Non-domestic areas still sit with PAS 79-1:2020. Mixed-use sites may need both standards—BS 9792 for housing elements and PAS 79-1 for the non-domestic parts. (BSI Knowledge)
• Does BS 9792 cover cladding? BS 9792 references external walls at a high level but relies on PAS 9980 for detailed FRAEW appraisals.

How BUDGET PAT TESTING can help (London-wide)

• Housing FRAs to BS 9792:2025
  • Correct Type 1–4 selection and delivery
  • Annex A documentation and PCFRA (Annex E) integration
  • Action plans that are practical and proportionate
• Fire door compliance
  • Surveys and remedials for flat entrance and communal door sets, feeding into FRA actions and compartmentation planning
• Fire alarm testing and maintenance
  • Routine testing aligned to BS 5839-1 (non-domestic) and BS 5839-6 (domestic), providing robust logs for FRA evidence
• Fire extinguisher testing and servicing
  • Asset registers, servicing schedules, and placement reviews against current guidance to resolve common FRA findings efficiently
• External wall coordination
  • Where indicated, we coordinate PAS 9980 appraisals alongside your FRA cycle for a coherent risk picture

Bottom line PAS 79-2 has been replaced; BS 9792:2025 is the new residential FRA reference. Expect clearer reporting, stronger focus on resident needs, and alignment with UK fire safety law. For London portfolios, switch your templates, choose the right FRA Type, and programme reviews under BS 9792.

If you want BUDGET PAT TESTING to migrate your FRA templates to BS 9792, prioritise your buildings by risk, and schedule the surveys in a London-focused plan, we’re ready to make the change straightforward and defensible.

Sources and further reading

• BSI announcements confirming BS 9792:2025 as the full revision and upgrade of PAS 79-2:2020, with scope and aims (August 2025). (BSI)
• BS 9792:2025 preview (BSI/ANSI): effective date, supersession details, scope/exclusions, Annexes A & E, key references.
• BSI Knowledge – BS 9792:2025 overview and applicability.
• BSI Knowledge – PAS 79-1:2020 current status for non-housing FRAs.
• Outline of FRA Types (1–4) used when commissioning proportionate surveys. (London Fire Consultants)

BUDGET PAT TESTING — helping London stay compliant, building by building.

Further reading