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For every venue, whatever its size

Your fire safety checks, logged in seconds

Martyn’s Law only applies to bigger venues. Fire safety law applies to almost every hall, church and club. The routine checks are simple; keeping track of them is the hard part. Readybrief keeps the log for you.

Start your logbook

Free during the beta. No account: you get a private link, like our Martyn’s Law venue pages.

How it works

  1. Two-minute setup. Tell us what the building has: alarm, emergency lighting, extinguishers, fire doors. We switch on the matching checks.
  2. QR labels where the checks happen. Volunteers scan, tap “All OK” or report a problem with a note and photo. No app, no account.
  3. Problems stay open until fixed. A wedged fire door or a dead emergency light stays on your page until someone marks it fixed.
  4. Reminders on Mondays, only when something is due, if you want them.
  5. A printable log for the noticeboard, your insurer or a visit from the fire service. If you also use Readybrief for Martyn’s Law, it goes in your evidence pack too.

The checks we set up

Suggested intervals, which you can change. If your fire risk assessment says something different, follow that.

  • Escape routes and exits (weekly). Keeping escape routes clear is a duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Check before each event too.
  • Fire alarm test (weekly). Weekly call point test recommended by BS 5839-1.
  • Emergency lighting check (monthly). Monthly short function test recommended by BS 5266-1.
  • Extinguisher and blanket check (monthly). Monthly visual check recommended by BS 5306-3.
  • Fire doors check (monthly). Regular checks are good practice; your fire risk assessment may set how often.
  • Fire drill or evacuation practice (yearly). At least once a year is common good practice; your fire risk assessment may say more often.
  • Fire alarm service (engineer) (every 6 months, by a contractor). Six-monthly servicing recommended by BS 5839-1.
  • Emergency lighting full test (contractor) (yearly, by a contractor). Annual full-duration test recommended by BS 5266-1.
  • Extinguisher service (contractor) (yearly, by a contractor). Annual service recommended by BS 5306-3.

What it doesn’t do

The logbook records your checks. It doesn’t replace your fire risk assessment, which the person responsible for the building must have carried out by a competent person and keep under review. We record its date and remind you when the review is due. If you need an assessor, the GOV.UK fire safety guidance explains what’s involved.

Questions

Does fire safety law apply to our hall?

In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to almost all non-domestic premises, including community buildings run by volunteers. Someone (often the trustees or management committee) is the “responsible person”. See the GOV.UK guidance.

We’re in scope for Martyn’s Law too. Is this separate?

It’s the same Readybrief. Start it from your venue page and it uses the same private link, and its log goes into your evidence pack. Check if Martyn’s Law applies.

Who can see what volunteers log?

Only people with your private link. The QR link lets volunteers log checks and see what’s due, but not names, notes or photos. Photos are shrunk, location data is removed, and they’re stored encrypted.

What will it cost?

It’s free for everyone during the beta, until 31 January 2027. After that it’s £39 a year (or £4 a month) for community venues (charities, churches, halls, clubs) and £79 a year (or £8 a month) for others, with 40% off your first year on a yearly plan if you join during the beta. It’s included free in every Martyn’s Law plan. If you’ve given us an email address we’ll tell you at least a month before, and nobody pays unless they choose to carry on. Pricing.

A summary, not legal advice. Readybrief is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by any fire and rescue service, the SIA or the Home Office. Last checked 31 October 2026.