Start Date

August 2025

Services Provided

Consultancy

Overview

Frameworks appointed Clarity to review persistent issues with the fire alarm system at one of their managed buildings, after receiving conflicting advice from two incumbent service providers.

The first was the incumbent facilities management company, which had sought advice from its appointed fire alarm contractor; the second was the specialist fire alarm company responsible for ongoing maintenance. Both advised independently that the existing system was beyond repair, non-compliant, and required complete replacement, with quotations ranging from £12,000 to £16,000, including proposals for new wireless systems and additional detectors.

The client was keen to balance risk, compliance, and cost, particularly as the property was nearing the end of its operational life and scheduled to be handed back to the landlord for redevelopment. Clarity was therefore engaged to provide an independent, proportionate review to determine the most appropriate course of action.

What We Did

Clarity undertook a detailed review of the existing system, maintenance history, and contractor reports. To ensure a holistic assessment, we also engaged independent fire consultants S2 Fire to review the building’s fire strategy and risk profile, enabling decisions to be made in the broader context of the site’s lifecycle rather than addressing the panel fault in isolation.

We engaged with both incumbent contractors to understand their findings. Still, we were firmly advised that it was impossible to repair or replace the existing panel, and that the only viable option was a full system upgrade. Even though we advised both incumbents, through a simple technical process of elimination, to first seek to replace the PCB as the most logical and reasonable outcome, this recommendation was dismissed.

To verify the advice received, we checked with the panel manufacturer, who confirmed that compatible replacement components were readily available and that the panel could indeed be repaired.

Our investigation found that the fault was limited to a single printed circuit board (PCB) controlling the panel’s fire relay — a minor, repairable issue. During the engineer’s call-out, the relay was freed by gently tapping it with a screwdriver, immediately restoring function and proving the fault was mechanical rather than systemic.

To ensure the issue was entirely resolved and to avoid repeat visits or further failures, the same engineer, in agreement with Clarity, replaced the PCB during the same service visit.

The total cost of the works was £500, and the system was successfully restored to complete operational condition.

Further inspection confirmed that the original zoning remained intact and identifiable via the panel display and wall-mounted zone chart. This demonstrated that the system was both operational and compliant with BS 5839-1, even though it was not aligned with current best-practice standards for zoning.

Outcome

System restored to full working order without full replacement.
Client cost saving: approximately £15,500 compared with the lowest contractor quotation.
Verified compliance: configuration consistent with BS 5839-1 life-safety requirements.
Proportionate risk management: holistic review considered building lifecycle and end-of-term position.
Independent assurance: client decisions informed by technical evidence rather than contractor assertion.

Key insight

This project highlights the value of independent, evidence-based consultancy in managing technical compliance and capital decision-making. Even experienced FM and specialist contractors can make confident but unverified assertions, leading to unnecessary expenditure or misinformed compliance judgments.

Clarity’s approach combined manufacturer engagement, independent fire consultancy input, and RICS-aligned transparency to ensure every recommendation was technically justified, commercially proportionate, and contextually appropriate for the building’s remaining lifecycle.