Fire risk assessment on leasehold flat

[Guest Karen]

Hi 

I am selling my flat where I have the leasehold, however I do also own the freehold for my flat and the one above in a converted Victirian house. We have a small communal area of approx 2m squared in the entrance. 

The buyers solicitors have requested as the landlord and freeholder, that I must supply a risk assessment to comply with the fire safety order for the whole of the building, both flats and communal area. The second is owned by someone else and rented out. Can you advise what I need to be doing please. Thanks.

[Tom Sutton]

As owner (freeholder) the law requires him/her to conduct a FRA for all the common areas and the size of the common area is immaterial, but if they do not employ 5 or more persons, then the FRA does not have to be recorded.

The owner (freeholder) may have conducted a FRA but it may not have been recorded, what does the solicitor want, verbal response to the prescribed information? You could ask the owner for a copy of the FRA if he/she has recorded it but the solicitor needs to understand the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.