GovWire

This exploration of responsible persons (RPs) in England (fieldwork conducted July 2023 to September 2023) informed our understanding of the fire safety sector. Results will support the delivery and implementation of any existing fire safety commitments and any future changes taken. The research comprised a survey of 362 RPs in England.

Findings provide insight and the first high-level description of the types of RPs in England, the buildings they are responsible for and their relationship with fire risk assessors. The report suggests RPs are largely aware of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations and have a high level of intention to implement the requirements for new regulations, such as Section 156 of Building Safety Act. Despite this, the results highlight a need for RPs to better understand legislative changes, in particular the importance of specifying roles, competences and training for RPs and their fire risk assessors.