Call our team for a personal consultation regarding your businesses fire and security needs on 01733 246 990
Nationwide Coverage
Fire Alarm Maintenance Contractor
Commercial Fire Alarm Maintenance
Fire alarm maintenance is a legal duty, and the visit is only half of it. The other half is evidence that your system meets BS 5839-1. Britannia services commercial fire alarms every six months, investigates the cause of false alarms instead of resetting the panel, and documents that your system meets BS 5839.
Fire alarm maintenance for the people who answer for it
The usual complaints about maintenance contractors: visits that slip, records nobody can follow, defects raised and never fixed. Maintenance should take compliance off your list, not add to it.
- On schedule. Six-monthly servicing, planned around how your building is used, by engineers who work in live environments.
- Every system type. Conventional, addressable and wireless systems, including Honeywell Gent, with engineers trained directly on the Gent product range.
- False alarms investigated, not reset. Repeat activations get a root-cause investigation. That matters more now many fire services won’t attend unconfirmed automatic alarms, and some charge for repeated false calls.
- Honest advice on ageing kit. BS 5839-1 sets no fixed lifespan for a fire alarm, and the FIA’s view is that age alone isn’t a reason to replace one. We identify ageing devices and upgrade outdated components when they need it.
- Records that stand up. Clear documentation showing your system meets BS 5839.
- Cover between visits. 24/7 call-outs, with the minimum response time set in your contract.
- Electrical contractors: we take on fire alarm maintenance after handover on systems you’ve installed. Maintenance only, with reports you can pass straight to your client.
Fire alarm maintenance under BS 5839-1:2025
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires fire detection and warning systems to be kept in efficient working order and good repair. BS 5839-1:2025 sets out what that involves:
- periodic inspection and servicing roughly every six months, with a visit five to seven months after the last now acceptable
- weekly user tests, using a different call point each week
- a log book recording every event, test, false alarm, defect and variation
- zone plans checked over each 12-month period, and the panel clock checked at every service
- secure, authenticated remote access where systems are serviced remotely
- firmware updates and other changes treated as modifications, with their own certificate
Under BAFE SP203-1, maintenance is a separately certificated module, and a combined BAFE and BS 5839 maintenance certificate can be issued.
Since October 2023, fire safety arrangements in England must be recorded in full and handed on when the responsible person changes, so gaps in maintenance records are a liability. And if your system signals to an alarm receiving centre over an analogue line, plan the upgrade now: the PSTN switches off on 31 January 2027.
Accredited fire alarm maintenance
- BAFE SP203 registered, registration 300175
- Gent 24 Elite Technology Centre
- FIA member
- NICEIC approved contractor
- ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, CHAS and Constructionline
Case study: distribution centre, Peterborough
A major retailer’s new distribution centre, where the size of the warehouse, the number of staff and the flammability of stored goods made very early warning essential.
We supplied and installed Honeywell Gent FAAST aspirating smoke detection throughout, run from a four-loop Gent Vigilon 24 panel that logs history and gives detailed fault explanations. The system is Category L1, with sounders positioned to achieve at least 65dB(A).
Britannia maintains it, with 24-hour response, seven days a week.
Free survey and maintenance quote
Tell us what’s installed and who handles your fire alarm servicing now. We’ll survey the system and quote for planned maintenance, with call-out response times set in writing.
Call 01733 246 990 or email info@britanniaalarms.co.uk.
Our fire alarm maintenance process
- Scheduled inspections. Six-monthly checks to make sure your system meets legal and insurance requirements.
- Full system testing. Detectors, call points, panels and sounders tested.
- Repairs and upgrades. Faults fixed quickly and outdated components upgraded.
- Compliance reporting. Clear documentation showing your system meets BS 5839 and fire safety regulations.
- 24/7 support. Emergency call-outs, with response times set in your contract.
Fire alarm maintenance across the UK
We maintain fire alarms across the UK from our base in Peterborough, with engineers covering Cambridge, Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln and Luton.
Our engineers service systems in industrial and commercial premises, offices, healthcare premises, schools, local authority buildings, retail and leisure, including a major retailer’s distribution centre.
Trusted & Fully Qualified
As part of our continued commitment to quality, Britannia Fire and Security has a number of accreditations and quality standards that sets us apart from the competition. We hold ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 accreditations. We also hold BAFE accreditation.
Here at Britannia Fire and Security, we are very proud of our health and safety affiliations, each one means that we comply with the very stringent quality control measures to service your business. Britannia Fire and Security are also part of the Gent 24 Network of Approved System Integrators operating across Cambridgeshire, East Anglia and the UK. View our full list of accreditations.
Qualifications & Accreditations
ISO 9001
BAFE SP203
ISO 14001
NICEIC Electrical Contractor
ISO 45001 (SSIP)
Constructionline
Gent 24 Technology Centre
CHAS Accredited Contractor
Member Of The FIA
SSAIB Certified
"Britannia Fire & Security are a very approachable and knowledgeable company, proactive in giving quotations within timescales given, very professional on site and backed up with great office support."
"We really enjoy working with Britannia, we find them to be extremely helpful throughout the process from tendering, design, installation and right through to completion. They have been extremely supportive and most importantly in a professional and timely manner."
"Britannia have a vast and incredibly competent knowledge base, that has helped with many challenging issues with complex systems. Planned installation work has always been completed to a high standard and high level of professionalism, with the added reassurance of supportive after sales care."
"Having utilised Britannia for many years as part of our MEP supply chain, would highly recommend their services. Professional and knowledgeable team members complimented by an experienced and skilful engineering team they have assisted us in delivering some high quality projects."
"Concept-MEP carry out a large number of projects in conjunction with Britannia Fire & Security both in the UK & overseas. This has been a long-standing relationship due to the high quality of service and workmanship that they provide"
"More than happy to assist"
"I have used Britannia Fire & Security over the past 15 years at various company’s I have worked for. They offer a very professional service in all aspects of Fire and Security, and everyone in the business is aways willing to assist. I wouldn’t have an issue in recommending Britannia."
The Britannia Promise
Unrivalled Customer Service
Our service and maintenance capabilities and technical back up are second to none, ensuring that our customers have peace of mind using the best quality security system on the market.
Complete Security Solutions
From complex integrated intruder alarm packages to simple fire alarm detection systems, we can tailor any solution to suit your requirements. We provide the best class systems for your business.
Experienced Engineers
With more than 30 experienced engineers at Britannia Fire & Security we are able to provide nationwide coverage for clients in all areas of fire alarms, CCTV and security systems.
Commercial Fire Alarm Maintenance FAQs
How often should a commercial fire alarm system be maintained? >
Fire alarm systems should typically be serviced at least every six months in line with recognised standards, helping ensure reliability and ongoing compliance.
Is fire alarm maintenance a legal requirement? >
Yes, fire safety legislation requires businesses to have a suitable maintenance regime in place to ensure systems remain effective and compliant.
What does a fire alarm maintenance contract include? >
Maintenance contracts usually include scheduled inspections, system testing, preventative maintenance, and clear reporting to ensure all components are working correctly.
What happens if a fire alarm system is not maintained? >
Without regular maintenance, faults or failures may go unnoticed, increasing risk to occupants and potentially leading to compliance issues or failed inspections.
Can maintenance be carried out without disrupting operations? >
Yes, maintenance is typically planned around building use, with engineers working in live environments to minimise disruption to staff, tenants, and customers.
Do you provide ongoing support and emergency call outs? >
Yes, maintenance contracts often include ongoing support and access to emergency call outs, ensuring issues can be addressed quickly when they arise.
Why does regular fire alarm maintenance matter so much? >
A fire alarm system’s whole purpose is to detect a fire and warn everyone in the building at the earliest possible moment — usually well before anyone would notice smoke themselves. In a fire it is smoke, rather than the flames, that spreads fastest and makes escape difficult, so those early minutes of warning are what give people time to evacuate safely. Regular servicing is how you confirm that every detector, call point and sounder will actually activate when it is needed, rather than failing quietly. A system left unchecked can develop faults that stay hidden until the one moment you most need it to work.
What causes false fire alarms in commercial buildings? >
Most false alarms come down to how a system is specified, sited and maintained rather than a fault with fire safety itself. Common triggers include the wrong type of detector for the environment, optical (smoke) detectors sited too close to sources of steam, dust or fumes such as kitchens, plant rooms and loading bays, and detectors that have become contaminated with dust or debris over time. Damaged detectors or cabling, ageing devices and accidental activation of manual call points also account for a large share of unwanted signals.
How does regular fire alarm maintenance reduce false alarms? >
Planned maintenance under BS 5839 is one of the most effective ways to keep unwanted alarms down. During a service our engineers clean and test detectors, check sensitivity and siting, inspect cabling and connections, and identify devices that are ageing or exposed to conditions likely to cause nuisance activations. Where the layout or use of your premises has changed, we can recommend re-siting devices or fitting a more suitable detector type. If you do experience repeated false alarms, we will inspect the system to find the root cause rather than simply resetting the panel — reducing disruption to your business and avoiding unnecessary calls on the fire and rescue service.
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