A proper fire alarm service is a set of checks laid down in BS 5839-1, not a quick press of a call point. Here is what the engineer should do on each visit, and what you should get at the end.
Why it matters what is done
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person must keep the fire alarm maintained. BS 5839-1 sets out what that maintenance is: an inspection and service at intervals of no more than six months, by a competent person, with a certificate at the end. Two visits a year that each take ten minutes do not meet it, and the certificate from them is worth very little if something goes wrong.
What the engineer should do
On a typical BS 5839-1 service visit, the engineer should:
- Read the logbook for fires, false alarms, faults and work done since the last visit, and ask about anything recorded.
- Walk the building looking for changes that affect the system: new partitions, rooms used differently, detectors painted or covered, call points blocked.
- Check the false alarm rate and look into the cause of any false alarms.
- Test the panel's indications and controls, its power supplies and the standby batteries and charger.
- Operate call points and test detectors with the right test equipment, covering a planned share each visit so every device is tested at least once a year.
- Check the sounders and visual alarms work, and that they can be heard or seen where they need to be.
- Test anything the alarm controls or signals to: door holders, access control releases, lift recall, smoke vents, music cut-out, the alarm receiving centre.
- Write down every defect, and give you a certificate and a record of what was tested.
How long it takes and what it costs
A shop, small office, surgery or small block usually takes one to two hours. Large buildings with addressable systems take longer and are planned so that the whole system is covered across the year. Our servicing is from £180 + VAT a visit for a conventional system and £240 + VAT for an addressable system, and we test the emergency lighting on the same visit for £150 + VAT.
What you should get at the end
A signed servicing certificate, a record of the devices tested, the logbook completed, and a written list of any defects with what it would cost to put them right. If a visit ends with nothing but an invoice, ask for the rest. Your insurer, fire risk assessor and, for HMOs, the council will ask for the certificate, and a list of defects is how you show you acted on them.
Signs the service is not being done properly
Be wary if you see any of these:
- The engineer is in and out in a few minutes on a building with dozens of devices.
- Detectors are never tested with test equipment, only call points pressed.
- No defects are ever listed, even when the panel has shown faults.
- No certificate is left, or it arrives weeks later.
- Nobody ever asks about the logbook, false alarms or changes to the building.
Book a proper service
We service fire alarms across London to BS 5839-1, test the emergency lighting on the same visit and issue the certificates on the day, on any make of panel. Call 020 8946 5567 or see our fire alarm servicing page to book.
Need help with this in London?
Security Red Alert covers all 32 London boroughs from our Summerstown SW17 office. Explore our Fire Alarm Installation, Home Fire Alarms, Fire Extinguishers and Emergency Lighting Testing services, or call 020 8946 5567 for a free survey.