Fire risk assessments and fire safety in Newport
Our office is at 30-32 Clarence Place, so Newport is our home patch. We carry out fire risk assessments to PAS 79-1 and BS 9792 at a fixed price, and provide fire strategies, fire door and fire stopping work, alarm and extinguisher servicing, and compliance contracts for landlords, HMO owners, housing providers, care homes, schools, businesses and developers across the city, under Welsh law.
- South Wales FRSFire and rescue service
- Newport City CouncilHMO licensing and housing enforcement
- Welsh lawFire Safety Order, Renting Homes Act
- Clarence PlaceOur office, NP19 0AG
Newport's buildings and the fire risks we see
We are just across the river from the city centre, so most Newport premises are a short journey away and return visits to check works are easy. Our Managing Director, Paul Chamberlain, spent more than 30 years in Fire and Rescue, and that experience shapes how we assess and advise.
- Victorian and Edwardian terraces around the city centre, Maindee and Stow Hill, many now flats or HMOs: single staircases, fire doors and fire stopping lost in past alterations.
- City-centre conversions of offices and upper floors above shops: separation from the commercial parts and escape from upper floors.
- Industrial estates and business parks along the M4 corridor: storage, hot work and large compartments.
- Care homes, schools and community buildings: evacuation plans that work at night as well as in the day.
Newport is in Wales
The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies alongside Welsh housing law: the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, Rent Smart Wales and the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011, which requires sprinklers in new and converted homes.
England-only rules do not apply here
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the higher-risk building regime under the Building Safety Act 2022 apply in England, not Wales. The Welsh Government is reforming building safety law, including new duties for multi-occupied residential buildings. We will tell you how any change affects your building.
One team, from assessment to servicing
Whether you manage one converted house or a portfolio of commercial units, you deal with one team from the assessment through to the works and the servicing that follows.
Fire risk assessments
PAS 79-1 and BS 9792, for HMOs, flats and workplaces.
Fire strategies
New build, conversion and change-of-use projects to Approved Document B (Wales).
Fire doors
Surveys, repairs and installation, often the top action in converted terraces.
Fire stopping
Surveys and remediation where past alterations have breached compartments.
Alarms and emergency lighting
Alarm, emergency lighting and smoke control servicing for Newport premises.
Fire extinguishers
Supply and servicing for offices, shops and industrial units across the city.
Compliance contracts
Every check under one agreement, with PAT testing and training in-house.
Local rules, licensing and coverage
Newport City Council, HMOs and housing enforcement
Newport City Council is the local housing authority. It runs HMO licensing in the city and enforces housing standards under the Housing Act 2004, including the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, where fire is one of the hazards assessed. In Wales, mandatory licensing applies to HMOs of three or more storeys with five or more people forming two or more households. Councils can also introduce additional licensing for other HMOs.
Licence conditions and inspections usually look for a current fire risk assessment, a suitable alarm system, fire doors and a protected escape route, following the LACORS "Housing – Fire Safety" guide. We assess HMOs to BS 9792:2025, give you a clear action plan, and can carry out the works so you have evidence ready for the council.
Welsh law for Newport landlords and owners
- Fire Safety Order: the Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and keep fire safety measures maintained.
- Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016: mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every storey, carbon monoxide alarms where there is a gas, oil or solid-fuel appliance, and electrical testing at least every five years.
- Rent Smart Wales: private landlords must register, and self-managing landlords and agents must be licensed.
- Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011: sprinklers in new and converted homes, which matters for any conversion project in the city.
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.
Where we cover in and around Newport
The whole city, including the city centre, the NP19 and NP20 districts either side of the river, and outlying areas such as Caerleon, Rogerstone and Bassaleg. From Newport we also cover neighbouring Torfaen, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Monmouthshire (see fire safety across South Wales), and Cardiff is a short drive along the M4.
At a glance
- Fire and rescue service
- South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
- Local authority
- Newport City Council (HMO licensing and housing enforcement)
- Law that applies
- Welsh: Fire Safety Order 2005, Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, ADB (Wales)
- How we cover it
- From our office at 30-32 Clarence Place, NP19 0AG
- Postcodes
- NP postcode area, including NP10, NP18, NP19 and NP20
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 have an office in Newport?
Yes. Vocus Fire Safety is based at 30-32 Clarence Place, Newport, NP19 0AG. Newport is our home area, so we can usually fit visits around your residents, tenants or trading hours and return quickly to check completed works.
Do I need a fire risk assessment for my HMO in Newport?
Yes. The common parts of an HMO fall under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, so the Responsible Person must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. Newport City Council will normally expect to see one if the property is licensed or inspected. We assess HMOs to BS 9792:2025.
Does my Newport HMO need a licence?
In Wales, mandatory licensing applies to HMOs of three or more storeys occupied by five or more people forming two or more households. Councils can also license smaller HMOs under additional licensing. Check with Newport City Council's licensing team for your property, and we can help you meet the fire safety conditions.
Do the Fire Safety (England) Regulations apply to flats in Newport?
No. Those regulations apply in England only. Blocks of flats in Newport are covered by the Fire Safety Order and Welsh housing law, and the Welsh Government is reforming building safety law. Regular fire door checks are still good practice and help show your assessment's actions are being managed.
I am converting a building in Newport into flats. Can you help?
Yes. We prepare fire strategies for conversions and change-of-use projects to Approved Document B (Wales). New and converted homes in Wales need sprinklers under the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011, so it pays to involve us early in the design.
Can you look after all the fire safety checks for my Newport premises?
Yes. A compliance contract brings the fire risk assessment review, alarm and emergency lighting servicing, extinguisher servicing and fire door checks under one agreement. Every report and certificate is stored in the Vocus Fire Safety Portal with its next-due date.
Fire safety support in Newport
Tell us about your building in Newport and what you need. We will confirm the scope and a fixed price in writing before any visit.