Fire risk assessment for converted flat?

[Guest EmilyR]

Hello,

We purchased our flat 6 years ago. It’s a converted Victorian house split into only 2 flats. There is a main front door and then a fire door to each flat. (The hallway where the front door leads with both flat doors is about 1.5m long with nothing in it at all.) 

When we purchased the flat (first time buyers), a fire risk assessment was not mentioned by our solicitors. However, we are now selling it and the buyers solicitors have asked for one. Do we need to pay to have this done? Or can we fill in a template ourselves for example? 
The only common area is this tiny hallway. Our flat has its own private rear door with fire escape gate in the fence. 
 

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated! 
Thank you. 

[AnthonyB]

There is a guide and template to allow small blocks of flat to be self assessed, however it doesn't apply to conversions unless fully compliant with post 1991 Building Regulations guidance, so the inference is you use a registered professional (listed here - some providers join a fire related trade or advisory body like the FPA & pass it off as 'approved' when they don't vet or register assessors https://www.firesectorfederation.co.uk/fire-risk-assessment/fire-risk-assesment-directory/ )

It's been law for many years so your original solicitors should have mentioned this.

The key issues with your arrangement are:
- level of fire separation between flats
- external wall fire risk (but only a trivial factor in a building this small really)

This will determine if the current set up (assuming it's stay put in the flat not on fire) is tolerable or whether it should be an evacuation block requiring installation of a fire alarm system that covers the common landing AND both flats (not just a smoke alarm in the common landing).

From experience not all require the 'nuclear' option of a full alarm system and can stay as is with minor works and production & issue of resident fire safety information - but this can only be determined by a proper FRA (that does look in the flats to some extent)