Business Fire Alarm Servicing: What BS 5839-1 Requires
A fire alarm system protects people only if it works at the moment it is needed. For businesses, landlords and estates teams across London, whether in a West End shop, a King’s Cross office or a logistics unit near Heathrow, keeping the system tested, serviced and properly recorded is a legal duty as well as sensible practice. This guide explains who is responsible, what BS 5839-1 recommends for testing and servicing, and when a system may need upgrading.
Who is responsible?
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the “responsible person” for non-domestic premises. Usually this is the employer, owner, landlord or occupier, or anyone else in control of the premises, such as a facilities manager, building manager or managing agent. Where a building is shared by several parties, they must co-ordinate their fire safety arrangements.
The responsible person has to carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment, put suitable fire safety measures in place, and keep those measures in efficient working order and good repair. A fire alarm system is one of those measures. Falling short of these duties can result in enforcement notices from the fire and rescue authority, fines or, in serious cases, prosecution.
What is BS 5839-1?
BS 5839-1 is the British Standard code of practice covering the design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in non-domestic premises. The current edition, BS 5839-1:2025, replaced the 2017 edition in April 2025. It is not law in its own right, but it is the yardstick fire risk assessors, insurers and enforcing authorities use to decide whether a system is being properly maintained.
Weekly user test
BS 5839-1 recommends a weekly test of the system by the user, normally a member of staff nominated by the responsible person. In outline:
- operate a manual call point, rotating to a different call point each week so all of them are tested over time
- check that the control panel receives the signal and the alarm sounds
- if the system signals to an alarm receiving centre, tell them before and after the test
- test at about the same time each week so occupants know it is a test
- record the test, the call point used and any faults in the logbook
Servicing by a competent person
BS 5839-1 recommends that a competent person inspects and services the system at six-monthly intervals. The 2025 edition allows a tolerance of one month either side, so a service between five and seven months after the previous one still counts as on time. In some premises the risk assessment may call for more frequent visits.
Taken together, the two six-monthly visits should cover the whole system over a year. A typical service visit includes:
- reviewing the logbook for faults, false alarms and changes since the previous visit
- checking the control and indicating equipment, including fault indication and batteries
- functional testing of detectors, manual call points and sounders, so that every device is tested at least once a year
- checking any connections to an alarm receiving centre and interfaces with other systems, such as door releases, plant shutdown or lift control
- looking for changes to the building, such as new partitions or changes of use, that could affect detector coverage
- issuing a servicing certificate and recording the visit and any defects in the logbook
| Task | Frequency | Carried out by |
|---|---|---|
| Manual call point test | Weekly | User (nominated person) |
| Inspection and servicing | Every 6 months (one month tolerance either side) | Competent person |
| Every device functionally tested | At least once a year, across the service visits | Competent person |
| Logbook entries | Every test, false alarm, fault, service and change | User and competent person |
Keep the logbook up to date
The logbook is the principal evidence that the system is being looked after. It should record weekly tests, false alarms, faults and the action taken, service visits and any alterations to the system. BS 5839-1:2025 accepts a digital logbook, provided it is complete and available when needed. The 2025 edition also places greater emphasis on supporting documents such as a current zone plan and cause and effect information.
Fire risk assessors and fire safety inspectors will usually ask to see the logbook, so gaps in the record can cause as much trouble as missed tests.
When does a system need upgrading?
Servicing keeps a system working, but it does not change what the system was designed to do. An upgrade or extension may be needed when:
- the fire risk assessment identifies the need for a different category of system or additional detection
- the building is altered, for example new rooms, partitions, mezzanines or a change of use
- the system suffers repeated false alarms that servicing cannot resolve
- the panel or devices are obsolete and spare parts can no longer be obtained
- the alarm transmission depends on analogue phone lines affected by the PSTN switch-off
Any modification should be designed, installed and commissioned in line with BS 5839-1, with the documentation and logbook brought up to date to match.
How JE Group Services can help
We provide fire alarm installation, servicing and upgrades for commercial and industrial premises across London, from the City of London and Canary Wharf to Stratford, Croydon and Wembley. We can take on the servicing of an existing system, review your logbook and documentation, and advise on any work arising from your fire risk assessment. Fire alarm servicing can also be combined with electrical testing and other building services under a planned and reactive maintenance contract. To talk through your system, get in touch.
Call JE Group Services on 03330 916 221 to arrange your fire alarm service.