By building type
Blocks of flats are the most common UK housing FRA building type. FRA Flow is built around the BS 9792:2025 methodology with the common-parts focus, compartmentation evaluation and stay-put strategy considerations a competent block of flats FRA needs.
What it covers
Stay-put
Stay-put has been the established design assumption for purpose-built blocks of flats since the 1960s. The strategy depends on adequate compartmentation: a fire in one flat is contained for long enough that residents elsewhere remain safely in their homes while the fire and rescue service deals with the affected flat.
For an FRA, the stay-put strategy is appropriate where the compartmentation is verifiably intact and the fire and rescue service can reasonably reach the affected flat in the time the compartmentation provides. Where compartmentation is in doubt (post-Grenfell external wall systems, partial cladding remediation, internal compartmentation gaps), an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy may be appropriate, often with a Waking Watch in place during the transitional period.
Compartmentation
For a block of flats, compartmentation is the foundation of fire safety. The walls and floors between flats and common parts are designed to resist fire spread for a defined period (typically 60 minutes in mid- and high-rise blocks). Fire-stopping at services penetrations is part of the compartmentation: a wall rated 60 minutes is only worth 60 minutes if its penetrations are properly sealed.
A Type 1 FRA assesses compartmentation by observation: visible signs of compromise (gaps around services, propped-open fire doors, unauthorised modifications). A Type 2 or Type 4 FRA opens up sample locations to verify the as-built condition. Where the dutyholder cannot be confident in compartmentation from a Type 1, a deeper scope is the right next step.
Common pitfalls
In FRA Flow
In FRA Flow, blocks of flats are the default property type. The assessment workbench surfaces the BS 9792 sections sized for blocks of flats. The pre-flight pack (delivered to the assessor before the visit) carries the property's known design standard, fire strategy reference, compartmentation features and previous FRA findings. The output report follows the BS 9792 shape and inherits per-landlord branding for the freeholder client.
FAQ
For most well-managed blocks with intact compartmentation, a Type 1 FRA at periodic review is the standard scope. A Type 2 (with limited destructive inspection) is appropriate when compartmentation is in doubt. Type 3 and Type 4 (which include flat-level assessment) are commissioned when there are specific concerns about flat-level fire safety.
BS 9792:2025 expects the periodic interval to match the building's risk profile. Higher-risk and high-rise blocks typically run on annual review; lower-risk lower-rise blocks may run on longer cycles. Significant changes to the building or its fire safety arrangements trigger a re-assessment that resets the clock.
Not under a Type 1 (common parts only) or Type 2. Under a Type 3 or Type 4, a sample of flats is inspected with arrangements made for resident access. The FSO duty applies to the common parts; the inside of an individual flat is the leaseholder's responsibility under their lease.
External wall observation is a structured field on the assessment, distinct from generic fire safety arrangements. The assessor records what could be verified about construction, what remained unverifiable, and any reference to a separate external wall investigation (PAS 9980 or similar). The output report carries the position into a dedicated section.
The issued FRA report is a defensible BS 9792-shaped document that holds up under leaseholder scrutiny. The audit trail (named assessor, named reviewer, content hash, timestamp, traceable evidence) is available if a leaseholder formally challenges or if the First-tier Tribunal requires production.
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