How Often Should Your Fire Alarm Be Serviced in 2026?

Maintaining your commercial fire alarm isn’t optional. It’s a legal and insurance requirement. Under BS 5839-1:2025, the servicing frequency and scope for commercial fire alarm systems have been clarified for 2026. This is the schedule you need to follow to protect your people, property and assets.

Since April 2025, BS 5839-1:2025 has been the authoritative British Standard for commercial fire alarms in the UK. It covers design, installation, commissioning and importantly for ongoing safety, inspection and servicing intervals. This matters because your “responsible person” must ensure your system meets these recommendations as part of compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.

The key servicing requirement isn’t radically different from previous editions. What has changed is clearer flexibility on timing and tighter expectations on what a service visit covers.

Professional Servicing Visits (Minimum):

Your fire alarm system must be inspected and serviced by a competent person at least twice a year. The baseline target remains every six months.

Weekly User Tests:

The designated responsible person on site should test one call point each week and check the panel for faults. These basic checks are a cornerstone of good fire safety practice and ensure small issues don’t go unnoticed between professional visits.

That’s the minimum: many insurers and fire safety risk assessments will recommend or require more frequent checks in higher-risk environments such as warehouses, care homes, hospitals, schools or industrial facilities. Additional quarterly servicing isn’t mandated by BS 5839-1:2025 itself, but it is a recognised best practice where risk or complexity justifies it.

Under the 2025 standard, every service visit isn’t just a quick look at the panel. Your service provider should:

• Check and correct the fire alarm control panel’s clock to ensure accurate event logs.
• Verify zone charts against actual device locations so responders aren’t misled in an emergency.
• Remove redundant devices and wiring that have been decommissioned, rather than just isolating them.
• Ensure Interfaces (e.g. door releases, lift controls) are accessible and working, not blocked or concealed.
• Update the fire alarm logbook with all changes, tests, faults and any deviations from the standard.
• Be carried out by a technician with up-to-date continuing professional development (CPD).

This depth of inspection helps defend against faults, reduces false alarms and strengthens your position with insurers if you ever need to claim after an incident.

Failing to keep to these minimum intervals and service standards won’t just leave your system vulnerable. It can also mean:

• Non-compliance with UK fire safety law if you can’t demonstrate adequate maintenance under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
• Insurance disputes or declined claims because your documentation doesn’t prove your fire alarm as maintained in line with BS standards.
• Increased enforcement action from fire and rescue authorities during audits or inspections.

Most commercial insurers specifically ask for evidence that fire alarm systems have been inspected and serviced at the required frequency. Detailed reports from qualified engineers are the best proof you can provide.

1. Set up a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) Schedule with your provider to lock in service dates well ahead of time.
2. Keep all logbooks and certificates digitally backed up as well as on site.
3. Align your fire alarm servicing with other scheduled safety checks like emergency lighting and extinguisher maintenance for efficiency.
4. If you manage multiple sites, use a central calendar or COP tracker to avoid missed services.

For most UK businesses in 2026:

• Professional fire alarm servicing must happen at least twice a year.
• Weekly user tests are your day-to-day check to catch early issues.
• Often, higher-risk or larger sites will benefit from more frequent servicing.

Staying disciplined with this schedule keeps your people safer, strengthens your compliance position, and protects insurance arrangements when it matters most.

Need Support?

Sygma Fire, Security & Electrical provides design, installation, monitoring and maintenance for commercial fire alarm systems across the UK. If your fire alarm is due a service, requires remedial works, or you want to ensure compliance with BS 5839-1:2025, the team can deliver fully compliant inspection and servicing.

Speak to our Fire Safety Team today

Call:
0800 043 6728

Email:
info@sygma.co.uk

Or request a free site survey via our website.