TL;DR Summary
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2026, introducing mandatory RPEEPs and BEEPs for Responsible Persons in residential buildings of 18 metres or more — and in 11m–18m buildings operating simultaneous evacuation. If your building is in scope and you have not yet started, you are already overdue. This guide explains what RPEEPs are, which buildings are affected, what the Responsible Person must do, and how London City Fire can help you comply.
⚠ Deadline passed — action required now. The RPEEPs regulations came into force on 6 April 2026. If you manage a qualifying building and have not yet identified relevant residents, offered PCFRAs, or prepared your Building Emergency Evacuation Plan, you are not compliant. Contact London City Fire today to get started.
Contents
RPEEPs Explained: What London Building Managers Must Do Now the 2025 Regulations Are in Force
On 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 became enforceable. For Responsible Persons managing qualifying residential buildings in London, that date marks the start of a new set of legal duties — not a distant planning horizon.
These regulations require you to identify residents who may struggle to evacuate independently, offer them a structured assessment, agree a personal plan, and prepare a building-wide emergency evacuation document for sharing with the London Fire Brigade. None of this is optional. The obligation to act sits with the Responsible Person, regardless of whether any resident asks for it.
This guide walks through everything a building manager, freeholder, managing agent, or residential management company needs to understand — what RPEEPs are, who they apply to, and what you need to have in place.
What Are RPEEPs?
RPEEP stands for Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. It is a short, written, person-specific document that sets out:
- How a particular resident would leave their home in a fire emergency.
- What assistance they may need to evacuate safely.
- Information for firefighters attending the building.
An RPEEP is created for an individual resident and relates to their specific circumstances and flat. It is not a building-wide plan — that is covered separately by the Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP).
Important: An RPEEP is voluntary for the resident. A resident must give explicit consent before one is created or shared. However, the Responsible Person’s obligation to identify relevant residents and offer the process is not voluntary — it is a statutory duty.
The regulations are introduced under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, which sit alongside the existing Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They do not replace those frameworks — they add to them.
Is Your Building In Scope?
The regulations apply to two categories of residential building:
| Building type | In scope? |
|---|---|
| 18 metres or more in height (or 7+ storeys) — purpose-built or converted residential | ✓ Yes — fully in scope |
| 11 metres to 18 metres — simultaneous evacuation strategy in place | ✓ Yes — in scope |
| 11 metres to 18 metres — stay-put strategy in place | ✗ Not in scope currently If the evacuation strategy changes, duties apply from the date of that change. |
| Under 11 metres | ✗ Not in scope |
Building height for regulatory purposes is measured from the lowest ground level adjacent to the building to the top occupied storey. If you are uncertain whether your building meets the 18m or 11m threshold, this should be confirmed by a qualified fire safety professional before concluding that the regulations do not apply.
Who Is a “Relevant Resident”?
A relevant resident is a person who:
- Lives in the building as their only or principal home, and
- Would have difficulty evacuating independently in a fire emergency — due to a physical mobility issue, sensory impairment, cognitive condition, or a temporary condition such as recovery from surgery or a recent injury.
The definition is deliberately broad. It covers residents with permanent disabilities and those with temporary conditions. If you are uncertain whether a particular resident qualifies, the safer approach is to offer the PCFRA process and let the outcome guide your next steps.
Who can engage on a resident’s behalf?
Where a resident cannot engage directly — for example, a child or an adult with significant cognitive impairment — a representative can act on their behalf. A representative must hold parental responsibility, a lasting or enduring power of attorney, or a Court-of-Protection-appointed deputyship. A trusted person (partner, carer, family member) may assist a resident who can engage, provided the resident is present throughout and personally agrees to any measures and consent decisions.
Your 10 Legal Duties as Responsible Person
From 6 April 2026, the Responsible Person in an in-scope building must carry out the following duties. These are statutory obligations under the regulations, not guidance.
What Is a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP)?
A BEEP is a separate, building-wide document required alongside the individual RPEEPs. Where RPEEPs are person-specific, the BEEP describes the building’s overall approach to evacuation for relevant residents.
The BEEP must:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submitted to LFB | Via the LFB High-Rise Building Portal (digital preferred) |
| Hard copy in SIB | Placed in the building’s Secure Information Box |
| Instructions to residents | Must include a copy of the Instructions to Residents required under FSR 2022 Reg 9(2)(b)(i) |
| Evacuation strategy | Must state whether the building is stay-put or simultaneous evacuation |
| Relevant residents | Must state whether the building has relevant residents, and include any applicable RPEEP information |
| Other arrangements | Include any evacuation alert system or other relevant evacuation arrangements |
| Annual review | Must be reviewed at least every 12 months, and sooner if circumstances change |
The BEEP may be combined with the building floor plans and building plan already required under Regulation 6 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which simplifies document management for high-rise buildings that are already compliant with those earlier requirements.
Secure Information Box
If your building does not already have a Secure Information Box (SIB) compliant with Regulation 4 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, you must install one. The SIB requirement pre-dates the RPEEPs regulations, but the 2025 Regulations add to what the SIB must contain.
The SIB must be:
- Accessible by fire service key only.
- Located so that FRS crews can access it readily on arrival.
- Inspected at least annually.
Contents required under the combined FSR 2022 and RPEEPs 2025 regime include: the RP’s name, address, and phone number; key-holder details; hard copies of floor plans and the building plan; and the BEEP (including RPEEP information where applicable).
Who Pays for Measures Identified in a PCFRA?
Cost allocation depends on what is reasonable and proportionate in each case. The guidance sets out a framework:
| Who bears the cost? | When? |
|---|---|
| The Responsible Person | Where measures benefit multiple residents or the building as a whole |
| All residents via service charge | Where the majority of residents benefit and the lease permits cost recovery this way |
| The relevant resident | Where only they benefit. However, the resident has the right to decline to pay — if they decline, the measure does not have to be implemented. |
| Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) | Means-tested assistance may be available for eligible residents — worth exploring before allocating costs |
Social housing providers must follow the Residential PEEPs Social Housing Fund guidance. Costs must not fall on social housing renters.
Do not purchase evacuation equipment from online marketplaces. Equipment sourced this way may not meet the relevant safety standards. Always use accredited suppliers.
Not sure where to start with RPEEPs?
London City Fire’s assessors handle the full RPEEP process for building managers across London — from resident identification through to BEEP preparation and LFB submission.
What Should You Do Right Now?
If your building is in scope and you have not yet begun the RPEEPs process, here is a practical starting point:
How London City Fire Can Help
London City Fire’s assessors are experienced in residential fire safety compliance and work with managing agents, freeholders, residential management companies, and housing associations across London. We can assist with every stage of the RPEEPs process:
- Building scope assessment — confirming whether your building is in scope and under what category.
- Resident identification process — designing and implementing a compliant approach to identifying relevant residents at your building.
- Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments (PCFRAs) — conducting structured resident assessments in line with the regulatory requirements.
- Emergency evacuation statements — agreed and documented with residents as part of the PCFRA process.
- RPEEP preparation — creating individual plans in the LFB-approved format, ready for submission.
- BEEP preparation — producing the building-wide plan and submitting it to LFB via the High-Rise Building Portal.
- Secure Information Box review — confirming your SIB contains the documents required under both the FSR 2022 and the 2025 Regulations.
- Ongoing annual review — keeping RPEEPs, BEEPs, and resident records current as required by law.
The deadline passed on 6 April 2026. If you have not yet started, this needs to be addressed without further delay.
📄 Free Download: RPEEPs Compliance Checklist
A practical 9-section PDF checklist covering every RP duty under the 2025 Regulations — from resident identification through to annual review. Print it, work through it, and know exactly where you stand.
Ready to get your building compliant?
Get a free, no-obligation quote from London City Fire. We will confirm your building’s scope, outline exactly what is required, and give you a clear cost for the full RPEEPs service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a Responsible Person does not comply?
Breaching the regulations is a breach of duties under the Fire Safety Order. The London Fire Brigade can issue Enforcement Notices, Prohibition Notices, and initiate prosecution. Prosecution under the FSO can result in unlimited fines and up to two years’ imprisonment for individuals in the most serious cases.
If no residents identify as needing help, do I still need to do anything?
Yes. Even if your identification process finds no relevant residents, you must still prepare and submit a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan (BEEP) to LFB. The BEEP must state whether the building has any relevant residents. The identification process must also be documented and repeated at least annually.
Do RPEEPs apply in stay-put buildings?
All buildings of 18m or more are in scope regardless of evacuation strategy. For buildings between 11m and 18m, the regulations apply only where a simultaneous evacuation strategy is in operation. If the strategy changes, duties apply from the date of that change.
Can a resident be forced to have an RPEEP?
No. Participation is entirely voluntary for the resident. They must give explicit consent before an RPEEP is created or shared. The Responsible Person’s duty to identify and approach relevant residents is not voluntary, but the resident’s engagement with the process is their choice.
Who should carry out PCFRAs?
PCFRAs must be carried out by a competent person with appropriate knowledge of fire safety and the needs of residents who may have difficulty evacuating. For most managing agents and freeholders, commissioning a qualified fire safety professional is the most practical and defensible approach.
What is the difference between an RPEEP and a BEEP?
An RPEEP is an individual plan for a single resident. A BEEP is a building-wide document covering the overall evacuation strategy and relevant resident information. Both are required — the BEEP applies to every in-scope building, including those with no current RPEEPs.
Sources: Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025; Home Office RPEEP Guidance; LFB RPEEP Templates and High-Rise Building Portal. This article is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your building, consult a qualified fire safety professional or contact London City Fire.