Over half the fire safety and compliance audits completed at business premises across Yorkshire found them to be non-compliant, new figures have revealed, as a local property management company issues a warning to business owners.
Analysed by Yorkshire property maintenance firm Othick Properties, the data, from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s fire prevention and protection statistics report compared the number of audits completed at businesses across the county between 2024 and 2025, as well as the numbers of those found to be compliant and non-compliant.
Fire safety audits ensure that businesses are legally compliant with fire safety requirements laid out in The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).This covers a range of measures including emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire escape routes and fire proofing measures like fire doors. Failure to comply can result in prosecution.
Of 3,900 total fire safety and compliance audits completed by North Yorkshire, Humberside, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire fire services, 58% (2,282) were found to be non-compliant.
Humberside was found to be the least compliant area in the region, with 91% (or 769 of 837) audits finding businesses to be non-compliant with fire safety regulations. North Yorkshire businesses fared best, with 20% (or 173 of 828) found to be compliant.
Fire services in West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire found 53% (513 of 952 total audits) and 64% (827 of 1283 total audits) businesses to be non-compliant respectively.
The figures come following significant updates to fire door regulations across the UK which came into force in March 2025, with business owners now subject to stricter rules around fire doors. This includes a legal obligation to ensure doors are regularly inspected and maintained.
Jason Othick, Managing Director of Othick Properties, says the figures demonstrate a lack of awareness of the legal obligations of business owners across Yorkshire, who may not be fully aware of the steps they must take to ensure their premises are compliant with fire safety laws in the UK.
“As these figures show, a high proportion of businesses in our region did not meet the required fire safety standards last year, putting not only their premises at risk, but their employees.
“A UK wide survey by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) in 2021 found that 75% of fire doors in the UK weren’t compliant and now, with even stricter fire door regulations, it’s likely that this figure could be even higher. Business owners urgently need to take action to ensure they are fully compliant, to avoid not only the risk of prosecution, but to not risk putting themselves, their teams and their livelihoods in danger,” Jason warned. .
“Having a non-compliant fire door can be as simple as the door itself being in poor condition, gaps around the seals or frame and issues with functionality. There are a number of steps business owners can take to ensure they meet all legal requirements, starting with regular fire safety checks – a service we offer to businesses across East, West and North Yorkshire.
“A fire safety check by a qualified fire safety inspector can be the difference between life and death, meaning that it should be one of the highest priorities for business owners across Yorkshire and beyond.”
Business owners can find out more information about ensuring their business is fire safety compliant or book in for a fire door safety check at https://othickpropertyservices.co.uk