PEEPs Deadline Has Passed: Your 4-Week Catch-Up Plan

TL;DR: The 6 April 2026 PEEPs deadline has passed. If your building hasn't fully complied, don't panic — but don't wait either. Fire and Rescue Authorities will look at whether you're making genuine progress. This 4-week catch-up plan gives you a structured path from "we haven't started" to "we can demonstrate active compliance."

See the full compliance calendar →

#The Deadline Has Passed — What Now?

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2026. If your higher-risk building doesn't yet have Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans in place, you are technically non-compliant.

Fire and Rescue Authorities assess whether the Responsible Person is taking reasonable steps toward PEEPs compliance. A building that missed the deadline but shows active progress is in a fundamentally different position from one that has done nothing.

— Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025

Here's what that means in practice: Fire and Rescue Authorities enforce PEEPs under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. They have the power to inspect your building, review your processes, and issue enforcement notices. But enforcement is not a cliff edge. Authorities assess whether the Responsible Person is taking reasonable steps — and that distinction matters.

A building that missed the deadline but has letters sent, assessments scheduled, and plans being drafted is in a fundamentally different position from one that has done nothing.

The plan below gets you from zero to demonstrable compliance in four weeks.

#Week 1: Identify and Contact Residents

Your first priority is evidence of action. By the end of this week, you should have written to every resident in the building.

The regulations require "reasonable endeavours" to identify residents who need evacuation assistance. A single unanswered letter may not meet that bar — documented follow-up attempts are essential.

Send identification letters immediately. Write to every household asking whether anyone may need help evacuating in an emergency. Be specific — don't ask "do you need assistance?" Ask concrete questions: "Can you independently descend the stairs to ground level if the lift is unavailable?" "Would you hear a fire alarm from inside your flat with the door closed?"

Cover all relevant circumstances. The regulations cover residents with mobility impairments, sensory impairments, cognitive conditions affecting emergency response, and temporary conditions such as pregnancy or recovery from surgery.

Record everything. Log the date each letter was sent, the method of delivery, and the flat number. This is your first piece of compliance evidence. If the Fire and Rescue Authority inspects next week, you can show letters went out on a specific date.

Follow up non-responses. If you don't hear back within five days, send a second letter or try an alternative contact method — a door knock, a phone call, or a message through your building management app. Record every attempt. The regulations require "reasonable endeavours," and a single unanswered letter may not meet that bar.

#Week 2: Conduct Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments

For every resident who identifies as needing assistance, arrange a person-centred fire risk assessment (PCFRA).

Book assessments now. Contact each identified resident to schedule a face-to-face assessment. If you have a fire risk assessor on contract, brief them on the PCFRA requirements — these are different from a standard fire risk assessment.

Assess individually. Each PCFRA must consider the resident's specific needs, their flat's location relative to escape routes, available equipment such as evacuation chairs or refuge points, and the building's evacuation strategy. A generic assessment applied to multiple residents is not compliant.

Handle refusals properly. Residents can decline to participate at any stage. If someone refuses, record the date, their decision, and keep the record on file. You still have a duty to consider general evacuation provisions for that resident, but you cannot compel engagement.

Read the full PEEPs implementation guide →

#Week 3: Draft and Finalise PEEPs

With assessments complete, create an individualised PEEP for each resident.

Each plan must be tailored. A template with a name swapped in is not compliant. Each PEEP should specify the resident's evacuation method (assisted descent, horizontal evacuation to a refuge, evacuation lift), equipment required (evacuation chair, carry sheet, visual or vibrating alert), who will assist, how the resident will be alerted, and how often the plan will be tested.

Get resident agreement. The regulations require resident consent at every stage, including whether they agree with their evacuation statement and whether they consent to their information being shared with the Fire and Rescue Authority. Document this agreement — a signature and date on the plan, or a recorded confirmation.

Store plans accessibly. Plans need to be available to anyone who might need them in an emergency — the building's fire warden, concierge staff, or a visiting firefighter. If your building has a secure information box, place a copy of the building emergency evacuation plan inside it.

#Week 4: Share with the Fire and Rescue Authority and Establish the Review Cycle

Submit to your local FRS. You must share completed PEEPs and your building emergency evacuation plan with your local Fire and Rescue Authority. Check how they want to receive the information — some have online submission portals, others accept email. Don't assume the format; ask first.

Set up ongoing review triggers. PEEPs are not a one-off exercise. Build reviews into your compliance calendar for:

• When a resident's circumstances change
• When new residents move in (add a PEEPs question to your onboarding process)
• After any fire-related incident in the building
• At least annually, alongside your fire risk assessment review

Brief your team. Anyone involved in the building's emergency response — fire wardens, concierge staff, managing agents — needs to know where PEEPs are stored and what to do with them. A plan that exists but nobody knows about is a compliance gap. PEEP management software can centralise your plans, track review dates, and ensure the right people have access when they need it.

Stay ahead of compliance deadlines →

#What If You're Inspected Before You Finish?

Fire and Rescue Authorities have indicated that PEEPs compliance is an early enforcement priority. If an inspector arrives while you're mid-way through this plan, here's what matters:

Prosecution is not the first enforcement step for PEEPs non-compliance. Fire and Rescue Authorities typically begin with informal advice, then enforcement notices, before escalating to prosecution under the Fire Safety Order.

Show your evidence trail. Dated letters, a response log, booked assessment appointments, draft plans in progress. Each piece demonstrates that you're actively working toward compliance, not ignoring your obligations.

Understand the enforcement ladder. Prosecution is not the first step. The typical sequence is:

1. Informal advice — the inspector flags gaps and gives guidance
2. Enforcement notice — a formal notice requiring specific actions within a set timeframe
3. Prohibition notice — restricts building use if there's an imminent risk to life
4. Prosecution — only if you ignore an enforcement notice (a criminal offence under Articles 30 and 32 of the Fire Safety Order)

Buildings that are visibly making progress are far less likely to receive an enforcement notice than buildings that have taken no action at all.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Can I still comply with PEEPs requirements after the deadline has passed?

Yes. Fire and Rescue Authorities will assess whether you are taking reasonable steps toward compliance. A building that missed the deadline but can show active progress — letters sent, assessments booked, plans being drafted — is in a far stronger position than one that has done nothing.

#Will Fire and Rescue Authorities immediately prosecute for late PEEPs compliance?

Prosecution is not the first step. Fire and Rescue Authorities typically begin with an enforcement notice, which gives you a set timeframe to take specific actions. Prosecution under Articles 30 and 32 of the Fire Safety Order follows only if you ignore the enforcement notice.

#What evidence should I keep to show I'm working toward PEEPs compliance?

Keep dated copies of every resident letter, response log, refusal record, completed person-centred fire risk assessment, and PEEP document. Record who conducted each assessment and when. If the Fire and Rescue Authority inspects, this evidence trail demonstrates active management.

#What if residents haven't responded to my PEEPs letters?

The regulations require you to use "reasonable endeavours" to identify residents who need assistance. Send a follow-up letter, try alternative contact methods, and record every attempt. You are not penalised for residents who choose not to engage — but you must show you tried.

#Further Reading

• PEEPs Deadline April 2026: 5 Steps to Get Ready — our original preparation guide
• Residential PEEPs: Complete Implementation Guide — step-by-step with templates
• Fire Risk Assessment Tracking Guide — how FRA actions connect to PEEPs
• Residential PEEPs: Guidance for Responsible Persons — official GOV.UK guidance
• Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 — the primary legislation

This guide is for informational purposes. For building-specific advice, consult a qualified fire safety professional.