Old Kent Road - Fire Risk Assessment
Case reference FOI2026/01134
Received 11 September 2026
Published 9 October 2026
Request
This request is for the Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) for the premises and LFB’s review of that FRA following the fire.
Please provide: 1. The Fire Risk Assessment for the premises that was obtained or held by LFB following the fire, including the FRA understood to have been obtained on or around 3 January 2023. 2. Any recorded assessment, review, scrutiny, comments or findings made by an LFB Fire Safety Officer or Specialist Fire Safety Officer concerning whether that FRA was suitable and sufficient. 3. Any record identifying the date on which the FRA was first reviewed by an LFB Fire Safety Officer or Specialist Fire Safety Officer following the fire. 4. Any record of fire-safety deficiencies identified by LFB when reviewing the FRA, including deficiencies relating to fire doors, means of escape, fire detection, compartmentation, management of the common escape route, or the storage/charging of e-bikes or lithium-ion batteries. 5. Any final record of the decision as to whether enforcement action was considered necessary following review of the FRA, including the recorded reason for taking or not taking enforcement action.
Response
I can confirm that the LFB holds a copy of a fire risk assessment for the building. This is dated 8 July 2025. I am exempting this from public disclosure on the basis that the LFB hold if for the purpose of law enforcement, as the LFB is responsible for enforcing the Fire Safety Order (the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) in London. This is the exemption in s.31(g) of FOIA (combined with 31(2)(a) and 31(2)(c)). S.31 is a qualified exemption which requires I balance the need to withhold the information against the public interest in disclosure.
The LFB is of the view that the correct balance of interest lies in making information about enforcement action available to those that request it, but in withholding the supporting information and evidence gathered during regulation activities. By making available the information within NOD’s, and through the public register any formal enforcement action, then the public can see when the LFC has identified safety concerns. Where there is no fire safety concern that merits either formal or informal action, then this information should be protected from publication to preserve the safe space for good regulation principles and that any withheld information could be used at a later date as part of formal enforcement action or prosecution where the materials go to demonstrate the behaviour, actions or omissions of the responsible person.
When the Section 31 exemption is applied it is because the LFB considers that disclosure of the withheld information would be likely to prejudice the ability of the LFB to determine whether any measures, such as NOD’s, Enforcement Notices or other enforcement action should be taken.
Whilst I am withholding the FRA, along with other related correspondence and records, it is appropriate to provide a (redacted) copy of:
1. The Senior Fire Safety Officer report that was completed after the fire
2. The record of the fire safety audit conducted on the 11 September 2005, and
3. The post audit letter sent to Southwark Council Private Sector Housing Enforcement Team on the 22 October 2025
We are providing these documents to strike the correct balance between the materials we hold in confidence to create a safe space for regulatory activity, whilst also providing some public transparency around our enforcement work.
Documents
This is London Fire Brigade's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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