Berneslai Homes is an arms-length management organisation responsible for managing over 18,500 homes across South Yorkshire on behalf of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
Pennington Choices has been Berneslai Homes' trusted fire safety partner for a number of years, delivering Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs), retrospective Fire Strategies, and a Fire Compartmentation Survey across their diverse property portfolio. Each service has been delivered as part of a comprehensive and impartial approach to fire safety compliance, giving Berneslai a clear, accurate picture of their buildings’ compliance and ensuring their residents are safe.
We were initially appointed to deliver type 1, 2, 3, and 4 FRAs for 218 assets across a range of Berneslai’s domestic and commercial stock. These included two-storey general needs blocks, community centres, shop outlets, plant rooms, and medium-rise tower blocks, to ensure ongoing compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Each FRA provided a suitable and sufficient review of each building, covering building-specific risks, fire safety systems, hazard identification, people at risk, means of escape, horizontal and vertical evacuation strategies, fire safety signage, warning systems, emergency lighting, action plans, and training requirements. This thorough approach means that hazards are properly identified and quantified from the outset, reducing the risk of costly and disruptive remedial works further down the line.
Type 1 and 3 FRAs were completed on both one and two-year reassessment cycles. Destructive type 2 and 4 FRAs were also carried out on an ad-hoc basis across communal and living areas, with contractors coordinated to open up and reinstate elements of the building following inspection.
The programme was managed end-to-end using our work management systems: Simpro, Riskbase, Bolster, and SharePoint for Berneslai to access at any time. Our dedicated scheduling team managed all resident communication, with appointments arranged by phone, email, letter, text, or via our Self-Serve SMS booking system, particularly useful for coordinating access across multi-occupant blocks. At Berneslai’s request, we successfully accelerated the programme by a month, ensuring all new FRAs were completed before the existing assessments expired.
We also delivered tailored fire safety awareness and marshal training to Berneslai staff members, delivered virtually via teleconference to inform the team of the fire risks and mitigations to look out for.
Following the FRA programme, we were appointed to support Building Safety Case Report Development and retrospective Fire Strategies across Berneslai's Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) and their supported living, extra care, and sheltered housing properties.
Find out more about how we supported Berneslai with their building safety case report in the full case study here.
Using Approved Document B and BS9999/BS9991 guidance, each retrospective Fire Strategy confirmed whether a building was designed and constructed in line with the building regulations in force at the time, benchmarked against current standards. Every report was bespoke, accounting for each building's unique structure and usage.
Each strategy assessed the building against the five areas set out in Approved Document B:
Our fire engineer conducted a desktop review of all relevant building and fire safety documentation before carrying out a site inspection, using a handheld digital device and camera to capture onsite information. Any identified non-conformities were clearly flagged in the report, alongside a set of recommended, impartial remediation options, giving Berneslai all necessary information to restore compliance with clear next steps.
All reports have undergone a quality assurance review by our senior fire safety consultant, checking for technical accuracy, completeness, and formatting, with a typical turnaround of 10 working days. Completed reports are shared securely via SharePoint, giving both parties secure, 24/7 access to all documentation.
Following the FRA and Fire Strategy programmes, Berneslai appointed us to undertake a Fire Compartmentation Survey on one of their buildings.
The survey provided a comprehensive evaluation of the building's compartmentation integrity, beyond what a standard FRA covers, to give them a detailed and accurate picture of where their passive fire protection measures were performing as required, and where improvements were needed.
The survey included an inspection of all accessible fire compartment walls, floors, and fire doors, with feedback on existing compartment lines, confirmation of whether firestopping had been installed in accordance with manufacturer instructions and specifications, recording of damper types and locations, identification of solid versus drylining walls, and assessment of the accessibility of any identified breaches.
A full schedule of defects was produced from the survey findings, giving Berneslai everything they need to instruct a competent fire stopper to carry out any necessary remedial works.
Our long-term partnership with Berneslai Homes has enabled them to maintain compliance with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Building Safety Act 2022 across their large and varied portfolio.
The Fire Strategies in particular have delivered significant cost savings: by providing a clear, evidence-based picture of each building's fire safety performance against both historic and current standards, Berneslai has been able to make targeted and proportionate decisions around refurbishment works, including fire doors, rather than undertaking blanket remedial programmes based on incomplete information.
The Fire Compartmentation Survey has given Berneslai a robust understanding of the effectiveness of their passive fire protection measures and a clear remediation pathway to ensure the ongoing safety and compliance of the building.
We look forward to continuing this working relationship with Berneslai to ensure they have a complete picture of their buildings and can maintain safety and compliance.
"We've worked with Pennington Choices for around three years now, and throughout that time they have consistently demonstrated a high level of professionalism, expertise and commitment to delivering quality outcomes.
The processes and procedures Pennington Choices have in place are excellent. The team takes the time to understand exactly what is required and delivers solutions that are practical, well thought through and tailored to our needs.
What sets Pennington Choices apart is their ability to provide a genuinely end-to-end service. Pennington Choices offers a seamless approach, bringing together the expertise required at every stage of the process. This not only improves efficiency but also provides greater oversight, accountability, and value for money.
We would have no hesitation in recommending Pennington Choices to other organisations. Their technical expertise, professionalism, collaborative approach, and ability to manage complex fire safety programmes from start to finish make them a trusted partner and, in our experience, one of the leading providers in the sector." - Fire Safety Officer at Berneslai Homes