Almost half (45%) of audited blocks of flats failed fire safety checks last year, exposing widespread non-compliance across the sector.

Of the 4,257 audited buildings over four storeys, 1,923 or 45% needed remedial action to comply with regulations, spanning minor to serious issues. 

It is believed there are a total of around 120,000 buildings of this size throughout England. 

Fire safety audits are concluded as either ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ and are conducted by Fire and Rescue Services to check buildings meet safety standards. 

Inspectors review records, fire safety equipment, and assess management practices, and then flag issues. 

Twenty buildings received a Prohibition Notice, the most serious measure before prosecution, meaning all or part of the premises could be immediately prohibited from use due to a serious and imminent risk to life such as exposed wiring deemed a fire hazard. 

And in six cases, prosecutions were pursued following failures to comply with remedial actions. 

In total, 445 enforcement notices were served. 

These formal legal notices require building managers to correct fire safety deficiencies within a set timeframe. Failure to comply can lead to prosecution or fines. 

Where breaches were less serious, Fire and Rescue Services issued informal notifications instead.

The figures were analysed by Drax Technology, a UK provider of fire and life safety compliance software. 

And the data, released by Fire and Rescue Services across England, cover the period between April 1 2024 and March 31 2025 – the latest available. 

The numbers showed a slight improvement compared with the previous year, when 49% of audited buildings received an ‘unsatisfactory’ rating.

A Drax Technology spokesperson says: “Blocked escape routes, failing emergency lighting, and faulty alarms are too often pushed down maintenance lists until a fire exposes the devastating consequences.

“Under the Building Safety Act, compliance can no longer be assumed, it must be proven. Building managers across BTR, the PRS and social housing, now need clear evidence of what was inspected, when, and by whom. Gaps in record-keeping represent a serious operational, financial, and regulatory risk.”

He adds that the findings revealed two key challenges – widespread non-compliance, and a lack of visibility to ensure fire safety standards were consistently met. 

And he says that in many cases, building managers simply do not have a clear, real-time view of the safety status of their properties, even though the technology now exists to provide it.

“There is no room for uncertainty when it comes to resident safety,” he says. 

“Digital platforms can give property teams constant oversight of fire safety systems, allowing issues to be identified and resolved before inspections, or worse, before an emergency.”