PEEPs for Residential Buildings

Guidance for Landlords, Building Managers, and Responsible Persons

Legal requirements, practical implementation, and compliance with the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025

What Are Residential PEEPs?

Residential PEEPs are building-specific evacuation plans created by the Responsible Person (landlord, building owner, or managing agent) for residents in high-rise or higher-risk residential buildings who may require assistance to evacuate safely during a fire or emergency. Unlike Individual PEEPs (which are portable personal plans that residents create for themselves to use in any setting), Residential PEEPs are legally required for certain types of residential buildings and must be created by the person responsible for fire safety in the building.

Important Distinction: This page is for Responsible Persons (landlords, building managers, property owners) who are legally required to create and maintain Residential PEEPs for residents in their buildings. If you are an individual resident looking to create your own portable PEEP for personal use, please see our PEEPs for Individuals page.

Legal Requirements

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2026, introducing mandatory requirements for Residential PEEPs in England.

Which Buildings Must Have Residential PEEPs?

The Regulations apply to:

All residential buildings 18 metres (approximately 7 storeys) or higher
Buildings between 11-18 metres where a simultaneous evacuation strategy is in place (all residents evacuate at once rather than “stay put”)
Buildings below 11 metres where the fire risk assessment identifies that a simultaneous evacuation strategy is appropriate

What the Law Requires

Responsible Persons must:

Identify residents who may require assistance to evacuate (known as “relevant persons”)
Create a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA) for each relevant person
Develop an individual Residential PEEP based on the PCFRA
Share PEEP information with the Fire and Rescue Service (with the resident’s consent)
Review PEEPs regularly — at least annually and whenever circumstances change
Maintain an accessible register of all residents requiring PEEPs
Ensure staff are trained in PEEP procedures and implementation

Key Legal Frameworks

Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 — Primary legislation requiring Residential PEEPs
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — General fire safety duties for Responsible Persons
Fire Safety Act 2021 — Extended FSO to cover external walls and flat entrance doors
Building Safety Act 2022 — Enhanced duties for higher-risk residential buildings (18m+)
Equality Act 2010 — Reasonable adjustments duty for disabled residents
GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 — Protecting residents’ personal and health information

Who Needs a Residential PEEP?

A Residential PEEP is required for any resident who is a “relevant person” — someone whose ability to self-evacuate without assistance may be compromised due to:

Category	Examples
Mobility Impairments	Wheelchair users, people with limited mobility, those who use walking aids, residents recovering from surgery or injury
Sensory Impairments	Deaf or hard of hearing residents who may not hear fire alarms, blind or visually impaired residents who may need guidance
Cognitive Impairments	Residents with dementia, learning disabilities, autism, or conditions affecting understanding of emergency procedures
Health Conditions	Severe respiratory conditions, cardiac conditions, epilepsy, conditions requiring medical equipment or oxygen
Temporary Conditions	Pregnancy, temporary injuries, post-operative recovery, short-term illness affecting mobility
Age-Related Needs	Elderly residents with frailty, reduced stamina, or multiple health conditions

How to Identify Relevant Persons

Responsible Persons should:

Ask all residents during tenancy sign-up whether they require evacuation assistance
Conduct regular surveys (annually at minimum) to identify changing needs
Provide multiple ways to disclose (forms, phone, email, in-person) to remove barriers
Train staff to identify residents who may need support but haven’t disclosed
Make disclosure voluntary but encouraged — residents cannot be compelled to participate
Reassure residents that information will be handled sensitively and in compliance with GDPR

Resident Consent and Privacy: Participation in the Residential PEEP process is voluntary. Residents cannot be forced to disclose disabilities or health conditions, and they have the right to withdraw from the process at any time. Any personal or health information collected must be stored securely and handled in accordance with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Creating a Residential PEEP

Step 1: Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA)

Before creating a PEEP, conduct a PCFRA to understand the resident’s specific needs:

Meet with the resident in their home to assess their flat and evacuation routes
Understand their impairment or condition and how it affects their ability to evacuate
Assess the building’s suitability — are escape routes wide enough? Are refuges available? Does the alarm system include Visual Alarm Devices (VADs)?
Identify gaps between the resident’s needs and the building’s current provisions
Involve the resident throughout — they know their needs best

Step 2: Develop the PEEP Document

A Residential PEEP must include:

Resident Information

Name, flat number, contact details
Emergency contact (family member or friend)
Summary of impairment or condition affecting evacuation
Any relevant medical information (with consent)

Evacuation Method

Can the resident evacuate independently, or do they require assistance?
What type of assistance is needed? (physical support, guidance, communication, equipment)
What evacuation route will be used? (primary and alternative routes)
What equipment is required? (wheelchair, evacuation chair, portable oxygen, etc.)
How long is evacuation expected to take?

Alarm and Warning

Can the resident hear the fire alarm? If not, what alternative alerting method is needed? (VADs, vibrating pager, door knock by staff/warden)
Can the resident understand what the alarm means and what action to take?

Staff and Assistance

Who will assist the resident during evacuation? (building staff, warden, neighbor, family member)
How many people are needed to assist?
What training do assistants require?
What happens if the designated assistant is unavailable?

Communication

How will staff communicate with the resident during an emergency?
Are there language barriers or communication needs to consider?

Review and Updates

Date of creation and next review date (minimum annually)
Triggers for earlier review (change in health, move to different flat, building modifications)

Essential PEEP Principles

Person-centred: Every PEEP must be tailored to the individual resident, not a generic template
Co-created: The resident must be involved in creating their PEEP
Realistic: Plans must be achievable with available resources and staffing
Tested: PEEPs should be tested through fire drills (with the resident’s consent)
Documented: All PEEPs must be written down and accessible to those who need them
Regularly reviewed: Circumstances change — PEEPs must be kept up to date

Building Provisions and Equipment

What the Building Must Provide

To support Residential PEEPs effectively, buildings should have:

Detection and Alarm Systems

Visual Alarm Devices (VADs) in corridors, communal areas, and individual flats for deaf residents
Vibrating pagers or pillow alarms for residents with severe hearing loss
Voice alarm systems that provide clear spoken instructions

Means of Escape

Wide corridors and doorways (minimum 1050mm for wheelchair access)
Level thresholds or low-profile ramps (maximum 15mm exposed edge)
Well-maintained escape routes kept clear of obstructions
Adequate lighting and emergency lighting on all escape routes
Accessible final exit doors with low opening forces (maximum 30N)

Refuges

Fire-resistant refuge areas adjacent to stairs on upper floors (for buildings designed with them)
Two-way communication systems connecting refuges to a staffed control point
Clear signage indicating refuge locations
Adequate size (minimum 900mm x 1400mm per wheelchair user)

Evacuation Equipment

Evacuation chairs for descending stairs (one per building minimum, two recommended)
Wheelchairs for horizontal evacuation
Evacuation sheets or sleds for moving bed-bound residents
Storage locations that are accessible 24/7 and clearly signed

Staffing and Training

Building staff (wardens, concierge, security) must receive training in:

Understanding what PEEPs are and why they matter
How to identify residents who may need a PEEP
Using evacuation equipment (evacuation chairs, etc.)
Communication strategies for residents with sensory or cognitive impairments
PEEP procedures during actual emergencies
Data protection and confidentiality requirements

Training should be refreshed annually, and all new staff must be trained during induction.

Evacuation Strategies

Stay Put vs Simultaneous Evacuation

The type of evacuation strategy in your building affects how Residential PEEPs are designed:

Stay Put Strategy

What it means: Residents remain in their flats unless the fire is in their flat or they are directly affected by smoke
When used: Purpose-built flats with robust fire compartmentation and 60-minute fire resistance between flats
PEEP implications: Focus on horizontal evacuation to adjacent flat or common area if resident’s flat is affected
Post-Grenfell considerations: Stay put strategies now require documented justification and regular reassessment

Simultaneous Evacuation Strategy

What it means: All residents evacuate the building at the same time when the alarm sounds
When used: Buildings with compromised compartmentation, single staircase only, or identified fire safety concerns
PEEP implications: More complex planning required; adequate staffing and equipment essential; evacuation time modelling needed
Mandatory PEEP requirement: Buildings 11-18m with simultaneous evacuation MUST have PEEPs under the 2025 Regulations

Phased or Progressive Evacuation

Some buildings use a phased approach:

Affected floor and floor above evacuate first
Remaining floors evacuate if needed (controlled by Fire and Rescue Service)
Requires clear communication systems and trained building staff

Sharing Information with Fire and Rescue Services

Under the 2025 Regulations, Responsible Persons must share PEEP information with their local Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). However, this must be done in accordance with GDPR.

What to Share

Number of residents with PEEPs in the building
General nature of assistance required (e.g., “3 wheelchair users, 2 residents requiring visual alarm”)
Locations within the building (flat numbers or floors)
Equipment stored in the building (evacuation chairs, etc.)
Building’s evacuation strategy (stay put, simultaneous, phased)

Resident Consent

Specific personal details (names, medical conditions, detailed health information) should only be shared with FRS if:

The resident has given explicit informed consent, OR
There is a legitimate interest (e.g., emergency services need to know to save life during an incident)

Best practice is to obtain written consent from residents during the PEEP creation process, explaining why information may be shared with FRS and what will be disclosed.

How to Share

Contact your local Fire and Rescue Service to establish a sharing protocol. Many FRS have specific forms or systems for receiving PEEP information. Update the FRS whenever:

New residents requiring PEEPs move in
Residents with PEEPs move out
There are significant changes to PEEPs or evacuation strategies
Building works affect fire safety provisions

Testing and Fire Drills

Regular testing is essential to ensure Residential PEEPs work in practice.

Fire Drill Frequency

Minimum twice per year for buildings with Residential PEEPs
Day and night drills to test different staffing levels
Unannounced and announced drills to test both readiness and procedures

Involving Residents in Drills

Residents with PEEPs should be invited to participate in fire drills, but participation must be voluntary. Benefits include:

Builds resident confidence in their PEEP
Identifies any practical issues with the plan
Trains staff in real-world conditions
Tests equipment functionality

If residents prefer not to participate in full drills:

Conduct table-top exercises (discussion-based scenarios)
Walk through their escape route at a convenient time
Test equipment separately without a full evacuation

What to Test

Alarm systems: Can all residents hear or see the alarm?
Communication: Can staff communicate with residents during evacuation?
Evacuation times: How long does it take to evacuate residents with PEEPs?
Equipment: Is evacuation equipment accessible, functional, and sufficient?
Staffing: Are there enough trained staff available?
Assembly points: Are they accessible to wheelchair users?

Post-Drill Review

After every drill:

Document what worked and what didn’t
Gather feedback from residents and staff
Identify improvements needed
Update PEEPs based on lessons learned
Create an action plan with timescales

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge	Solution
Residents don’t disclose their needs	Build trust through clear communication about data protection, explain benefits of having a PEEP, offer multiple disclosure methods, train staff to have sensitive conversations, reassure that participation is voluntary
Insufficient building staff to assist all residents	Consider mutual aid agreements with neighboring buildings, recruit and train volunteer resident wardens, explore remote monitoring systems, prioritize most vulnerable residents, work with FRS on realistic plans
Evacuation equipment not available or broken	Implement regular equipment checks (monthly minimum), ensure clear maintenance schedule, budget for replacements, store equipment accessibly with clear signage, consider backup equipment
Building doesn’t have refuges or VADs	Conduct a building assessment to identify necessary upgrades, prioritize critical improvements, seek grant funding if available, consider interim measures (e.g., staff door-knocking for deaf residents), document limitations in fire risk assessment
Residents refuse to participate in drills	Make participation genuinely voluntary, offer alternative testing methods (table-top, walk-through), explain benefits clearly, address any fears or concerns, document refusal and maintain PEEP anyway
Language barriers	Provide PEEP materials in multiple languages, use translation services during PEEP creation, use visual aids and diagrams, identify bilingual staff or residents who can assist
Residents’ needs change frequently	Make review process easy and accessible, train staff to spot changes, encourage residents to report changes, schedule regular check-ins (quarterly for vulnerable residents), use digital systems for easy updates

Documentation and Record Keeping

What Records Must Be Kept

Individual PEEP documents for each relevant person
PCFRA assessments (Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments)
Central PEEP register listing all residents with PEEPs
Consent forms for data sharing
Training records for all staff involved in PEEPs
Fire drill records including PEEP testing outcomes
Equipment maintenance logs
Review dates and updates to PEEPs
Correspondence with Fire and Rescue Service

Data Protection Requirements

PEEP information contains sensitive personal data (health information, disabilities) and must be handled in accordance with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018:

Lawful basis: Process data based on legal obligation (2025 Regulations) and vital interests (life-saving)
Minimize data: Collect only information necessary for the PEEP
Secure storage: Keep PEEP documents in locked filing cabinets or password-protected digital systems
Access controls: Limit access to staff who need to know (building managers, wardens, emergency responders)
Resident rights: Residents can request to see their PEEP, request corrections, or withdraw consent
Retention: Keep PEEPs for current residents and for a reasonable period after they move out (e.g., 2 years for audit purposes)
Data breaches: Have a procedure for responding to breaches (e.g., lost PEEP documents)

Audit Trail

Maintain a clear audit trail showing:

When each PEEP was created
Who created it (staff member name)
When it was reviewed and by whom
What changes were made and why
When information was shared with FRS
When the resident was consulted

This demonstrates compliance if questioned by Fire and Rescue Authorities, Building Safety Regulator, or in the event of an incident.

Enforcement and Compliance

Who Enforces the Regulations?

Fire and Rescue Authorities — Enforce the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 and the Fire Safety Order 2005
Building Safety Regulator (HSE) — Enforces Building Safety Act 2022 for higher-risk buildings (18m+)
Local Housing Authorities — Can take action under housing legislation for poor fire safety

What Happens if You Don’t Comply?

Failure to comply with the Residential PEEP requirements can result in:

Enforcement notices requiring specific actions within a set timescale
Prohibition notices preventing use of the building or certain floors until compliance is achieved
Prosecution under the Fire Safety Order — penalties include unlimited fines and/or up to 2 years imprisonment
Building Safety Regulator sanctions for higher-risk buildings, including compliance notices and special measures
Civil liability if a resident is harmed due to inadequate PEEPs
Reputational damage and difficulty letting properties

What Fire and Rescue Services Check

During inspections, FRS will look for:

Evidence that you have identified residents requiring PEEPs
Individual PEEP documents that are person-centred and realistic
Records showing PEEPs are reviewed regularly
Training records for building staff
Fire drill records demonstrating PEEPs have been tested
Adequate evacuation equipment
Evidence of information sharing with FRS
Compliance with GDPR in handling resident data

Demonstrating Compliance

To demonstrate compliance with the 2025 Regulations, you should be able to show:

A proactive approach to identifying relevant persons
Person-centred PEEPs that involve the resident
Regular review and updating of plans
Adequate building provisions (alarms, equipment, refuges)
Trained and competent staff
Regular testing through fire drills
Clear documentation and record keeping
Information sharing with FRS

Residential PEEPs vs Individual PEEPs

It’s important to understand the difference between Residential PEEPs (covered on this page) and Individual PEEPs (for individuals to create themselves):

Aspect	Residential PEEPs	Individual PEEPs
Who creates it?	Responsible Person (landlord, building manager)	The individual themselves (or with support)
Legal requirement?	Yes — mandatory under 2025 Regulations for certain buildings	No — voluntary and self-initiated
Scope	Building-specific (only for that residential building)	Portable (can be used in any building or setting)
Purpose	Legal compliance and building fire safety management	Personal empowerment and self-advocacy
Who owns it?	Responsible Person retains the document (resident gets a copy)	The individual owns and controls their PEEP
Who implements it?	Building staff, wardens, or emergency services	The individual shares it with wherever they go
Review	Responsible Person must review annually minimum	Individual updates as their circumstances change
Information sharing	Shared with Fire and Rescue Service (with consent)	Individual chooses who to share with (employers, venues, etc.)

Can Someone Have Both? Yes! A resident can have a Residential PEEP created by their landlord for their building, AND their own Individual PEEP that they take with them to their workplace, gym, or other venues. They serve different purposes and complement each other.

Resources for Responsible Persons

Key Guidance Documents

Fire Safety in Purpose-Built Blocks of Flats (2020) — MHCLG guidance
Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 — The legislation itself
PAS 79-1:2020 — Fire risk assessment for housing
BS 9991:2015 — Fire safety in residential buildings (due for update to BS 9991:2024)
Fire Safety Act 2021 Guidance — GOV.UK
Building Safety Act 2022 Guidance — HSE Building Safety Regulator

Getting Help

If you need assistance with Residential PEEPs:

Fire and Rescue Service — Contact your local FRS for advice and guidance; many offer free fire safety audits
Building Safety Regulator — For higher-risk buildings (18m+), contact the HSE Building Safety Regulator
Fire risk assessors — Hire a competent fire risk assessor (FPA, BAFE, or IFE registered) to conduct your assessments
Disability organizations — Organizations like Disability Rights UK or local disability charities can advise on accessibility and reasonable adjustments
Legal advice — Consider legal advice for complex compliance issues or following enforcement action

Free Templates and Tools

Access free Residential PEEP templates designed specifically for Responsible Persons managing residential buildings. These templates cover all legal requirements and can be customized for your building.