Who Is Responsible for Fire Risk Assessments?

### Defining the Responsible Person Under Article 3 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person is defined by legal control of non-domestic premises or the common parts of residential buildings. This includes: * Employers with control over workplace premises * Building owners, landlords or managing agents for multi-occupied residential blocks * Facilities managers or duty holders with operational control ### Not Always the Business Owner A common misconception is that the Responsible Person is always the business owner. In multi-tenanted buildings, the landlord or managing agent may be the Responsible Person for the common parts, while individual employers are responsible for their own areas. ### Multiple Responsible Persons Where there are multiple Responsible Persons, they must co-operate, share information and co-ordinate their fire safety arrangements. ### Competent Assistance The Responsible Person must appoint one or more competent persons to assist — but ultimate legal responsibility remains with the Responsible Person, not the assessor.