Quick Answers
When is waking watch required?
When the building's fire safety arrangements cannot be relied upon because of identified defects — typically external cladding that does not meet the required standard, affecting the compartmentation strategy. It is usually triggered by the Fire and Rescue Service following a fire risk assessment or inspection, or recommended by the building's fire risk assessor as the appropriate interim measure pending remediation.
How can a building get off waking watch?
Either by completing the works that gave rise to the requirement (cladding remediation, fire door replacement) so the original compartmentation-based strategy can be relied upon again, or by installing an interim common alarm system (ICAS) that provides the early warning function at a fraction of the cost. The ICAS route is much faster and should be pursued immediately in any building facing a long remediation timeline.
Does waking watch mean the building is unsafe?
No. It means the interim fire monitoring arrangement has been enhanced while an identified defect is addressed. The building remains safe for occupation — the waking watch is the compensating measure for the period during which the normal compartmentation-based stay-put strategy cannot be fully relied upon. Occupants are not at immediate danger; they have enhanced monitoring.
The core situation: residential blocks with identified fire safety defects — primarily external cladding that poses a fire spread risk — cannot rely on the standard stay-put evacuation strategy, which depends on compartmentation containing a fire to a single flat. Where compartmentation cannot be relied upon, an alternative early warning system is needed so that occupants can evacuate if a fire spreads beyond a single flat. Waking watch personnel provide that warning by physically patrolling the building 24 hours a day.
The transition priority: the waking watch requirement does not end when remediation is completed — in many cases it can be removed much sooner by installing an interim common alarm system. An ICAS provides the same early warning function electronically, at a cost that is a fraction of waking watch staffing. Every building subject to waking watch should be assessed immediately for ICAS suitability — the delay between receiving a waking watch requirement and implementing an ICAS represents unnecessary cost for leaseholders.
Key Takeaways
Waking watch is an interim measure, not a permanent requirement
The waking watch requirement exists because a specific building safety defect means the normal fire safety strategy cannot be fully relied upon. Once the defect is remediated — or once an alternative interim measure (such as an ICAS) is installed — the waking watch requirement can be removed. It is not a permanent operating condition. Buildings and their responsible persons should approach waking watch as a temporary situation to be resolved as quickly as possible, not as an ongoing cost of managing the building.
The ICAS route can remove the requirement within weeks, not years
Installing an interim common alarm system that provides the same early warning function as waking watch personnel can typically be achieved within a few weeks for a standard residential block. The ICAS installation requires agreement from the Fire and Rescue Service but is a well-established and commonly accepted approach. For a block facing several years of cladding remediation, transitioning from waking watch to ICAS as quickly as possible could save hundreds of thousands of pounds in staffing costs.
The cost per flat is substantial and compounds over time
Waking watch costs in the range of £8,000 to £25,000 per month for a typical residential block translate to significant per-flat annual costs — often between £2,000 and £6,000 per year per flat depending on building size. For a leaseholder who is already unable to sell or remortgage because of the cladding situation, and who is paying elevated service charges because of other building safety costs, the waking watch layer is a serious financial pressure. Removing it as quickly as possible through the ICAS route is a high-priority management action.
The question of who should pay for waking watch is contested
The Building Safety Act 2022 leaseholder protections clearly cover cladding remediation costs. Whether waking watch costs — incurred because of the same defects — also fall within the protections is less clear and is the subject of ongoing Tribunal and court consideration. Some argue that waking watch costs are a consequence of the developer-created defect and should therefore be treated similarly to remediation costs under the Act. The position continues to evolve and specialist legal advice is recommended for leaseholders whose waking watch costs are being charged through the service charge.
The Waking Watch Relief Fund provided grant funding for ICAS installation
The government launched a Waking Watch Relief Fund providing grant funding to help buildings in the waking watch scheme transition to interim common alarm systems. This fund was initially aimed at buildings above 11 metres and prioritised those where the cladding defect was due to developer error. The fund's availability and scope has changed over time — check current availability with the relevant government department, as some buildings may still be eligible for grant funding for ICAS installation where they have not already applied.
Responsible persons have an active duty to minimise the duration of waking watch
The responsible person — typically the RTM company — has an obligation to manage fire safety in a way that is proportionate and that minimises the burden on occupants. Maintaining a waking watch requirement indefinitely when an ICAS would achieve the same outcome at a fraction of the cost is not proportionate management. RTM directors who have not assessed the ICAS option for their block, or who are not actively pursuing remediation or an alternative interim measure to remove the waking watch requirement, are not discharging their responsibilities properly.
What Waking Watch Is and Why It Is Required
A waking watch is a system of continuous, round-the-clock patrols of a residential building by trained fire safety personnel whose role is to detect any sign of fire or smoke, alert all occupants immediately, and summon the Fire and Rescue Service.
It is required as an interim fire safety measure in buildings where the standard residential fire safety strategy — "stay put" in your flat because the building's compartmentation will contain the fire — cannot be relied upon. The compartmentation strategy depends on the fire doors, floor and ceiling construction, and external walls all performing as expected to prevent fire spreading beyond the flat of origin. Where external cladding is assessed as posing a fire spread risk (because it is combustible or because the cavity barriers are ineffective), the compartmentation strategy is compromised and a different means of early warning is needed.
The requirement for waking watch can be triggered in several ways:
- The Fire and Rescue Service inspects the building and issues an enforcement notice or prohibition notice requiring enhanced fire safety measures
- The building's fire risk assessor concludes that the existing evacuation strategy is unsafe pending remediation and recommends waking watch as the appropriate compensating measure
- The building's EWS1 assessment produces a B outcome (remediation required) and the assessor or Fire and Rescue Service identifies waking watch as a required interim measure
- Following a fire incident or near-miss at a comparable building that highlights the inadequacy of the stay-put strategy for buildings with similar cladding
What Waking Watch Costs: Realistic Figures
Waking watch is expensive because it requires multiple trained personnel working around the clock, 365 days a year. The staffing requirement depends on building size and layout — a large complex block may require three or four personnel on duty simultaneously to cover all areas and stairwells; a smaller block may need two. The costs below are indicative based on market rates in London and the South East as of mid-2026.
Not all waking watch providers use personnel with the appropriate training. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has published guidance on the minimum competency requirements for waking watch personnel. Personnel must understand how to use the fire detection systems in the building, how to conduct patrols, how to alert occupants, and how to communicate with the Fire and Rescue Service. RTM directors should confirm that their waking watch provider meets the NFCC competency guidance and should keep records of personnel qualifications. A waking watch staffed by undertrained personnel does not provide the fire safety assurance the requirement is designed to deliver.
How to Transition Off Waking Watch
There are two routes off a waking watch requirement:
Route 1 — Complete the works. Once the cladding or other fire safety defect that gave rise to the waking watch requirement has been remediated, the building's fire safety strategy can return to the standard compartmentation-based approach. The fire risk assessment is updated to reflect the remediated building and, where it concludes that the stay-put strategy can again be relied upon, the waking watch requirement falls away. This route is the permanent solution but in many buildings the remediation timeline is measured in years, not weeks.
Route 2 — Install an interim common alarm system. This is the faster and more immediately impactful route. An ICAS provides the early warning function electronically — it detects smoke or fire within a flat and sounds an alarm throughout the building, allowing occupants to evacuate before the fire spreads. Once an ICAS is installed and operational, the building can apply to the Fire and Rescue Service to have the waking watch requirement removed on the basis that the interim measure provides the same warning function without the need for physical patrols.
The moment a waking watch requirement is identified, the RTM company should commission a fire engineer or building safety consultant to assess the building's suitability for an ICAS and to begin the procurement process. For a standard residential block, the ICAS assessment, specification, tender, installation, and commissioning process can often be completed within four to eight weeks. That four to eight weeks of delay costs the building the waking watch monthly charge for the same period — typically £8,000 to £25,000. Speed of action on the ICAS route directly translates to financial savings for leaseholders.
The Interim Common Alarm System: What It Involves
Commission a building assessment for ICAS suitability
A fire engineer or building safety consultant assesses whether an ICAS is suitable for the building — the layout, the existing fire detection, the evacuation strategy, and the specific nature of the fire safety defect. Not all buildings are suitable for all ICAS configurations. The assessment produces a specification for the system that is appropriate for the building and that the Fire and Rescue Service will accept as an alternative to waking watch.
Engage with the Fire and Rescue Service
Before committing to an ICAS installation, confirm with the local Fire and Rescue Service that the proposed system and specification will be accepted as a satisfactory alternative to the waking watch requirement. The Fire and Rescue Service will typically want to review the proposed specification. Early engagement prevents the situation where an ICAS is installed and then found not to meet the FRS's requirements, requiring modification or even the continuation of waking watch alongside it.
Procure and install the ICAS
Competitively tender the ICAS installation. A number of specialist providers offer ICAS installation and maintenance. The system typically involves smoke detectors within each flat connected to a communal alarm sounder system that can alert all occupants simultaneously. Installation typically requires brief access to each flat — communicating clearly with leaseholders about the purpose and timing of access is important for a smooth installation process.
Commission, test, and notify the FRS
Once installed, the ICAS must be fully commissioned and tested. All occupants must be informed of how the system works, what they should do if the alarm sounds, and how the system differs from the previous fire safety arrangements. The FRS must be notified that the ICAS is operational and that the waking watch requirement is considered to be met by the new system. Keep a record of the commissioning documentation and the FRS correspondence.
Decommission the waking watch service
Once the FRS confirms that the ICAS satisfies the interim measure requirement, the waking watch service can be terminated. Check the notice period in the waking watch contract — some providers require 28 days or more of notice. Give notice immediately on FRS confirmation to minimise the overlap period during which both systems are running simultaneously and both costs are being incurred.
Who Pays for Waking Watch Under the Building Safety Act
The question of whether waking watch costs fall within the Building Safety Act 2022's leaseholder protection provisions is one of the most actively contested areas of building safety law.
The Act's leaseholder protections clearly apply to "relevant building safety costs" which are defined as costs associated with "relevant defects" — building safety defects arising from construction or refurbishment carried out in the past 30 years. Cladding removal and replacement is the paradigm example. Whether waking watch costs — incurred as a consequence of the same cladding defect pending remediation — are also covered is less clear from the Act's text.
| Position | Argument and Current Status |
|---|---|
| Waking watch costs are covered by leaseholder protections | Waking watch is a direct consequence of the cladding defect — if the defect had not been created, the waking watch would not be necessary. The costs are therefore as much a consequence of the developer's failure as the remediation costs themselves. Several Tribunal decisions have leaned towards this interpretation, particularly where the costs are clearly attributable to a specific defect covered by the Act. |
| Waking watch costs are not covered and can be passed to leaseholders | The Act's protections are specifically worded around "works" to address relevant defects, not around interim operational costs. Waking watch is not a "work" in the building sense — it is an ongoing operational service. Some freeholders and managing agents have charged waking watch costs through the service charge on this basis. The Tribunal has not uniformly accepted the protection argument and the position is still developing. |
| Current practical position | Specialist legal advice is recommended for leaseholders who are qualifying leaseholders under the Act and whose waking watch costs are being charged through the service charge. The Tribunal route is available to challenge demands, but the outcome is not certain and may depend on the specific facts of the building and the defect. Do not pay waking watch demands without taking advice if you believe qualifying leaseholder protections may apply. |
The Waking Watch Relief Fund
The government established a Waking Watch Relief Fund to provide grant funding to help buildings transition from waking watch to interim common alarm systems. The fund recognises that the cost of ICAS installation, while modest compared to waking watch running costs, can be a barrier in the short term for buildings where neither developer nor freeholder is funding interim measures.
Key points about the fund:
- The fund has been subject to multiple rounds of funding and changes in eligibility criteria since its launch. Check current availability and eligibility at gov.uk or through Homes England, as the position as of mid-2026 may differ from the position at launch.
- Buildings must typically be above 11 metres and have active waking watch costs to be eligible.
- The fund covers ICAS installation costs, not waking watch running costs. It does not retrospectively reimburse waking watch costs already incurred.
- Applications are made by the building owner or responsible person, not by individual leaseholders.
- Where a developer or freeholder is liable for the building's fire safety costs under the Building Safety Act, the fund may not be available — it is intended for buildings where no responsible party can be identified or compelled to fund interim measures.
For the EWS1 cladding certificate position and its interaction with mortgage lending, see EWS1 in 2026: Where Does the Cladding Certificate Stand Now? For the cladding remediation funding hierarchy and who pays for the underlying works, see Cladding Remediation Funding: Who Pays and How Leaseholders Can Access It. For the leaseholder protections that limit what can be charged through the service charge, see Leaseholder Protections on Building Safety Costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Waking watch is round-the-clock fire monitoring by trained personnel patrolling a building to detect fire and alert occupants. It is required as an interim measure when a building's compartmentation-based stay-put fire safety strategy cannot be relied upon due to identified defects — typically external cladding that poses a fire spread risk. The requirement is typically triggered by the Fire and Rescue Service or by the building's fire risk assessor following an assessment that the existing strategy is inadequate pending remediation.
Typically £8,000 to £25,000 per month for a residential block of 15 to 60 flats. Annual costs can range from £96,000 to over £300,000. Per flat per year: between £2,000 and £8,400 depending on building size and the number of personnel required per shift. By contrast, an interim common alarm system (ICAS) costs £15,000 to £50,000 to install once, with modest ongoing maintenance. The payback period of transitioning from waking watch to ICAS is typically one to three months.
Either by completing the cladding remediation or other works that gave rise to the requirement, or by installing an interim common alarm system (ICAS). The ICAS route is much faster (four to eight weeks for a standard block) and should be pursued immediately on receipt of any waking watch instruction. The ICAS must be assessed for the specific building, agreed with the Fire and Rescue Service, installed and commissioned, and the FRS must confirm it meets the interim measure requirement before the waking watch service can be terminated.
This is contested. The Act's leaseholder protections clearly cover cladding remediation costs. Whether waking watch costs — incurred as a consequence of the same defect — are also within the protections is the subject of ongoing Tribunal and court consideration. Several decisions have leaned towards protection applying; others have not. Qualifying leaseholders whose waking watch costs are being charged through the service charge should take specialist legal advice before paying. The Tribunal is the forum for challenging service charge demands where the protection provisions may apply.
No. Waking watch means the interim fire monitoring arrangement has been enhanced to address an identified risk while the underlying defect is addressed. The building remains safe for occupation — the waking watch or ICAS is the compensating measure for the period during which the normal compartmentation strategy cannot be fully relied upon. Occupants are not in immediate danger; they have enhanced monitoring that will alert them earlier in the event of a fire than the standard arrangement would.
Managing a block on waking watch and not yet pursuing the ICAS transition?
Neon's building safety compliance service covers the full waking watch to ICAS transition pathway for blocks in East London and Essex — fire engineer assessment, Fire and Rescue Service engagement, ICAS procurement, commissioning, and decommissioning of the waking watch service. Our £88 compliance audit confirms the current fire safety position and the fastest route to removing the waking watch requirement.
Book a compliance audit — £88 →