Protecting People, Property & Peace of Mind Across the Surrey County
Surrey is one of the most economically active counties in the UK — a hub for business, education, and community life stretching from the rolling Surrey Hills to the busy commercial centres of Guildford, Woking, Epsom, Camberley, and Reigate.
With more than 1.2 million residents and thousands of commercial, industrial, and residential buildings, fire safety is a shared responsibility that touches every business owner, landlord, and property manager in the county.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, anyone responsible for a non-domestic property — whether that’s a shop, office, factory, care home, school, or HMO — must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is completed and kept up to date. This legal requirement is the foundation of every effective fire safety strategy, identifying potential hazards, evaluating risks, and putting the right measures in place to protect life and property.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service works tirelessly to prevent incidents, but compliance starts long before a fire engine ever leaves the station. A professionally conducted Fire Risk Assessment helps you stay compliant with legislation, satisfy insurers, and — most importantly — protect the people who rely on your premises every day.
From Camberley and Farnham in the west to Reigate and Redhill in the east, our team supports businesses and landlords across Surrey in meeting their fire safety obligations. Whether you manage a single commercial unit or a portfolio of properties, our detailed, building-specific assessments ensure you’re not only compliant but confident in your level of protection.
Why Fire Risk Assessments Matter in Surrey
Surrey is one of the UK’s most prosperous and diverse counties, home to over 1.2 million residents and more than 70,000 registered businesses across towns including Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Camberley, Epsom, Reigate, and Redhill. With such a wide range of commercial, residential, and mixed-use properties, fire safety is a vital part of local compliance and community protection.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every employer, building owner, or landlord must ensure that a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is carried out and kept up to date. This assessment identifies potential fire hazards, evaluates risk to occupants, and ensures appropriate measures are in place to protect lives and property.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS)
The Surrey Fire & Rescue Service oversees fire protection, business safety, and community fire prevention throughout the county.
Headquarters:
📍 Croydon Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0EJ
📞 01737 242444
✉️ [email protected]
🕒 Monday – Friday, 9am–5pm
🔗 Surrey Fire & Rescue – Businesses and Organisations
Business Fire Safety Team
For advice about your responsibilities as a Responsible Person, HMO fire safety, or business premises inspections:
📞 01737 242444 (ask for Business Fire Safety)
🔗 Managing Fire Safety in Your Business (Surrey County Council)
SFRS also offers:
- Business Safe & Well Checks – quick self-assessments for small firms
- Enforcement Policy – explains how the Fire Authority handles non-compliance
- Home Fire Safety Visits – for domestic and vulnerable residents
Where to Find Fire Safety Advice in Surrey
For comprehensive, up-to-date information, visit these trusted sources:
- 🔗 Surrey County Council – Fire Safety for Businesses
- 🔗 NFCC National Enforcement Register
- 🔗 GOV.UK – Fire Safety in the Workplace
- 🔗 Surrey Fire & Rescue Enforcement Policy
These resources explain how to comply with current legislation, what to expect during inspections, and how to prepare for an audit.
Local Authority Contacts for HMO Licensing & Housing Fire Safety
Fire safety responsibilities in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are jointly managed between Surrey Fire & Rescue Service and your local borough or district council. Each council’s Private Sector Housing or Environmental Health team can advise on HMO licensing, standards, and housing enforcement.
| Borough / District | Department / Contact | Phone / Email |
|---|---|---|
| Elmbridge Borough Council | Private Sector Housing / HMO Licensing | 📞 01372 474624 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Epsom & Ewell Borough Council | Environmental Health – Housing Standards | 📞 01372 732000 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Guildford Borough Council | Regulatory Services / Licensing | 📞 01483 505050 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Mole Valley District Council | Housing Standards / Private Sector Housing | 📞 01306 885001 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Reigate & Banstead Borough Council | Environmental Health / Housing Standards | 📞 01737 276790 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Runnymede Borough Council | Private Sector Housing Team | 📞 01932 425724 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Spelthorne Borough Council | Housing & Licensing | 📞 01784 451499 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Surrey Heath Borough Council | Private Sector Housing | 📞 01276 707100 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Tandridge District Council | Environmental Health / Housing | 📞 01883 722000 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Waverley Borough Council | Private Sector Housing | 📞 01483 523333 • ✉️ [email protected] |
| Woking Borough Council | Housing Standards | 📞 01483 755855 • ✉️ [email protected] |
These departments can confirm whether your property needs an HMO licence, what fire precautions are required, and how to arrange a local inspection.
Surrey Fire Stations – Full List
Station Address Crewing Model / Notes Banstead 168 High Street, Banstead, SM7 2NG Day crew Camberley London Road, Camberley, GU15 3UH Wholetime + Day crew Chertsey Addlestone Moor, Addlestone, KT15 2QH Wholetime Chobham Bagshot Road, Chobham, GU24 8BZ On-call (nights & weekends) Cranleigh Dewlands Lane, Cranleigh, GU6 7AD On-call 24/7 Dorking Spook Hill, North Holmwood, RH5 4EG Wholetime Dunsfold Binhams Meadow, Dunsfold, GU8 4LF On-call (nights & weekends) Egham High Street, Egham, TW20 9HL Day crew Epsom Church Street, Epsom, KT17 4PW Wholetime Esher Kingston-by-Pass, Hinchley Wood, KT10 9TL Wholetime Farnham Guildford Road, Farnham, GU9 9QB Wholetime Fordbridge (Shepperton / Ashford area) Kingston Road, Shepperton, Ashford, TW15 3SL Wholetime + Day crew Godalming Bridge Road, Godalming, GU7 3DU On-call 24/7 Godstone Godstone Hill Road, Godstone, RH9 8BQ Wholetime Gomshall Goose Green, Gomshall, GU5 9LJ On-call (nights & weekends) Guildford Bypass, Ladymead, Guildford, GU1 1DL Wholetime + Day + On-call backup Haslemere West Street, Haslemere, GU27 2AP Day crew + On-call Leatherhead Cobham Road, Fetcham, KT22 9AW Wholetime Lingfield Saxby’s Lane, Lingfield, RH7 6DP On-call (nights & weekends) Oxted Potters Sandpit, Oxted, RH8 0ER On-call 24/7 Painshill (Cobham area) Gavell Road, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, KT11 1AL Day crew Reigate Croydon Road, Reigate, RH2 0EJ Wholetime Salfords Salbrook Road, Salfords, Redhill, RH1 5GJ Wholetime Walton Hersham Road, Walton-on-Thames, KT12 1RZ Day crew + On-call Woking 40 Goldsworth Road, Woking, GU21 6LE Wholetime + Day crew Surrey Fire & Rescue Response Time Performance & Trends
Understanding response times is crucial because in fire incidents, every minute (and second) counts.
Recent Response Time Figures
- In the year to March (latest published), the average response time to primary fires in Surrey was about 9 minutes 52 seconds. Farnham Herald
- The previous year’s average was 10 minutes 20 seconds, so this shows some improvement. Farnham Herald
- In earlier years, Surrey’s response times were faster. For example, about 10 years ago the average was ~8 minutes 32 seconds. Farnham Herald
- In official performance dashboards, Surrey recorded a “turnout plus drive time” for dwelling fires of 7 minutes 49 seconds in 2023/24 (compared to the NFCC family group average) Surrey County Council
- In past inspections, the service’s response time to primary fires was reported as 9 minutes 49 seconds for the year to 31 March 2020. Surrey County Council
- Surrey’s HMICFRS assessment cites that in 2021/22, their average overall response time for primary fires was 9 minutes 42 seconds. HMICFRS
What Those Numbers Mean in Practice
- “Primary fires” are incidents with potential for harm to people or property (rather than minor or false alarm calls).
- The stated “response time” generally includes turnout (time from alert to appliance leaving station) plus travel time (from station to scene).
- Performance can vary significantly by area, time of day, traffic conditions, and distance from station.
Implications for Fire Risk Assessment Clients
- If your premises are in a rural or edge-of-district zone, actual response times might be longer than the county average, reinforcing the need for robust passive fire measures (compartmentation, fire doors, detection, etc.).
- For high-risk buildings (HMOs, care homes, large commercial premises), you should assume a cautious buffer and plan protective measures accordingly.
- Fire risk assessments should explicitly consider local station proximity, crew availability model (on-call vs wholetime), and access/traffic challenges when evaluating escape times and required safety measures.
What a Compliant Fire Risk Assessment Should Include:
A thorough FRA typically covers:
- People at risk and escape routes
- Fire detection, alarms, and warning systems
- Compartmentation, fire doors, and signage
- Firefighting equipment and maintenance
- Electrical and ignition sources
- Staff training and evacuation plans
- Review frequency and record keeping
Fire Risk Assessments should be reviewed annually or after any significant change in layout, occupancy, or use.
How to Book a Fire Risk Assessment in Surrey
If you’re responsible for a business or HMO in Surrey, it’s your legal duty to have a valid fire risk assessment in place.
Our qualified assessors carry out independent, site-specific fire risk assessments across the county — providing clear reports and practical action plans.📞 Call us: 01276 300351
✉️ Email: [email protected]
