Fire risk assessments and fire safety in Cardiff
We carry out fire risk assessments in Cardiff to PAS 79-1 and BS 9792, at a fixed price agreed before we visit, and provide fire strategies, fire door and fire stopping work, alarm and extinguisher servicing, and compliance contracts in Cardiff. We work with HMO and student landlords, managing agents for blocks of flats, offices, schools, care homes and developers. We are based in Newport, a short trip along the M4, and apply Welsh law.
- South Wales FRSFire and rescue service
- Cardiff CouncilHMO licensing and Rent Smart Wales
- Welsh lawFire Safety Order, Renting Homes Act
- M4 and A48From our Newport office
Cardiff's buildings and their fire safety challenges
Cardiff is Wales's capital and largest city, with a large student population, a busy rental market and a growing number of apartment buildings. The buildings we are asked about most often:
- Student and shared houses in Cathays and Roath: one staircase, so fire doors, alarms and kitchen separation matter.
- City-centre and Cardiff Bay flats: external walls, flat entrance doors, risers and the evacuation strategy.
- Converted buildings: hidden gaps in compartmentation around services and the stair.
- Offices, retail and public buildings: evacuation, servicing records and coordination between tenants.
In Cardiff (Wales)
The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies, with the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 setting smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm and electrical testing standards for rented homes. New and converted homes need sprinklers under the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011. Building work is designed to Approved Document B (Wales). The Welsh Government is reforming building safety law, including new duties for multi-occupied residential buildings.
In England
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, the duty for every Responsible Person to record the full assessment, and the higher-risk building regime apply. Property on both sides of the border? See our Bristol and South West page.
From student HMOs to apartment blocks
Fire risk assessments
PAS 79-1 and BS 9792, including Type 1 to 4 for flats.
Fire strategies
New build, conversion and fit-out projects to Approved Document B (Wales).
Fire doors
Surveys, repairs and installation for shared houses and apartment blocks.
Fire stopping
Surveys and remediation, with intrusive inspection where the evidence points to it.
Alarms and smoke control
Alarm, emergency lighting and smoke control servicing, including Bay apartment blocks.
Fire extinguishers
Supply and servicing for offices, shops and public buildings.
Compliance contracts
Single buildings or portfolios, with assessments batched around tenancy changeovers.
Local rules, licensing and coverage
Cardiff Council and HMO licensing
Cardiff Council is the local housing authority for the city. It licenses HMOs and enforces housing standards under the Housing Act 2004, including the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, where fire is one of the hazards scored. Mandatory licensing in Wales covers HMOs of three or more storeys with five or more people forming two or more households. Cardiff Council has also used additional licensing in parts of the city with high numbers of shared houses.
On inspection or a licence application, the council will expect a fire risk assessment of the common parts, an alarm system that suits the property and a protected escape route, usually judged against the LACORS "Housing – Fire Safety" guide. We assess HMOs to BS 9792:2025 and can carry out the works to close off each action.
Rent Smart Wales
Cardiff Council administers Rent Smart Wales for the whole of Wales, so every private landlord in the country registers through it. Registration and, for self-managing landlords, a licence are required, and the licensing process includes training on landlord responsibilities.
Student houses and apartment blocks in more detail
In Cathays and Roath terraces the single staircase is usually the only escape route, so fire doors, the alarm system and the separation of any basement or ground-floor kitchen matter a great deal. Turnover of occupants each academic year makes clear fire safety information and regular checks especially important.
Purpose-built blocks in the city centre and around Cardiff Bay range from mid-rise buildings to taller blocks with firefighting shafts, dry or wet risers and smoke ventilation. Responsible Persons need an assessment that covers the external walls and flat entrance doors, and a clear understanding of whether the building operates a stay-put or simultaneous evacuation strategy. For offices, shops, schools and other workplaces we assess to PAS 79-1:2020.
What we look after
Fire risk assessments, fire strategies, fire doors, fire stopping, extinguishers, PAT testing and training are carried out by our own team. Alarms, emergency lighting, sprinklers, smoke ventilation and risers are serviced under the same contract, so you have one point of contact for everything.
How we cover Cardiff
We travel from our Newport office along the M4 or the A48 and plan visits across the city, including the city centre, Cardiff Bay and the northern and eastern suburbs. We cover Cardiff's CF postcode districts, including CF10 for the city centre and the Bay and CF24 for Cathays and Roath. For landlords with many properties, we can schedule assessments in batches around tenancy changeovers.
At a glance
- Fire and rescue service
- South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
- Local authority
- Cardiff Council (HMO licensing, housing enforcement and Rent Smart Wales)
- Law that applies
- Welsh: Fire Safety Order 2005, Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, ADB (Wales)
- How we cover it
- From our Newport office via the M4 and A48
- Postcodes
- CF postcode area, including CF10 and CF24
Speak to the team
Questions about your building or your duties? Talk them through with us before you commit to anything.
0330 133 4591Do you carry out fire risk assessments for student HMOs in Cardiff?
Yes. We assess shared and student houses to BS 9792:2025, including those in Cathays and Roath. You get a clear action plan that reflects what Cardiff Council will look for on licensing and inspection, and we can schedule visits around tenancy changeovers.
When does a Cardiff HMO need a licence?
Mandatory licensing in Wales applies to HMOs of three or more storeys with five or more people forming two or more households. Cardiff Council can require other HMOs to be licensed under additional licensing. Check the current position for your street with the council's licensing team.
What does Rent Smart Wales have to do with fire safety?
Rent Smart Wales registers private landlords and licenses those who manage their own lets, and Cardiff Council runs it for the whole of Wales. It does not replace your fire safety duties, but the licence conditions expect you to comply with housing and safety law, which includes having a suitable fire risk assessment for any common parts.
Which type of fire risk assessment does my Cardiff apartment block need?
Most blocks need a Type 1 assessment, a non-destructive inspection of the common parts. Where there are signs of poor compartmentation or concerns about the external walls, a Type 2 to Type 4 assessment with some intrusive inspection may be needed. We recommend the type before we quote.
Do the England fire door check rules apply to Cardiff flats?
No. The quarterly and annual fire door checks come from the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which do not apply in Wales. Fire doors remain one of the most important safety measures in any block, so a regular inspection regime is still sensible and supports your fire risk assessment.
Can you help with a fit-out or conversion in Cardiff?
Yes. We prepare fire strategies to Approved Document B (Wales) for offices, retail units and residential conversions. For new and converted homes, remember that sprinklers are required under the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011.
Fire safety support in Cardiff
Tell us about your Cardiff building, whether it is a single HMO or a block of flats, and we will confirm the scope and a fixed price in writing.