Glossary
Responsible Person.
The entity legally accountable under the Fire Safety Order 2005 for fire safety in non-domestic premises and the common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings. The duty-holder whose name appears on the FRA at sign-off.
How the FSO defines the role.
In a workplace, the RP is the employer where they have control of the premises. Otherwise, it is the person who has control of the premises in connection with the carrying on by them of a trade, business or other undertaking. In the common parts of a multi-occupied residential building, the RP is whoever has control of the common parts: usually the freeholder, managing agent acting for them, or in social housing the registered provider.
Multiple RPs on one premises.
A single building can have multiple RPs in different scopes: a managing agent for the common parts, individual leaseholders for their flats, commercial tenants for their demised areas. Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 strengthened the requirement for multiple RPs to cooperate and share information, including handing over the FRA on RP change.