- Between seven and nine fire service vehicles were deployed during more than 2,000 callouts
- On 6,631 occasions, the alarm was found to be faulty, damaged, poorly maintained or incorrectly positioned
The number of false fire alarms in medium and high-rise apartments has risen year on year, reaching over 22,000 in 24/25 compared to around 20,000 the previous year – an increase of 10%, data has revealed.
The figures equate to around 61 false fire alarms daily in buildings from four storeys and above. The findings were made by Drax Technology, the provider of advanced fire and critical alarm software and compliance solutions, which analysed data collected by the Fire and Rescue Services across England. The dataset details occasions when crews attended a location believing there was a fire, only to find none on arrival. The time periods compared cover 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 and 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
While the data is not specific to the Build to Rent sector, most BTR developments are multi-storey buildings, often medium (4-9 storeys) to high rise (10+ storeys) of purpose-built apartments.
The majority of the false alarms were triggered by cooking fumes, steam or dust, aerosol sprays and smoking but on 6,631 occasions, the alarm was found to be faulty, damaged, poorly maintained or incorrectly positioned. The year before, this number was 5,674 – meaning a rise of 17% YoY.
Drax Technology said the findings highlighted the urgent need for BTR operators to have properly installed, well-maintained fire alarm systems with remote management capabilities. Remote access enables on-site staff to verify false alarms instantly and silence or reset them, reducing unnecessary emergency callouts. It also provides real-time visibility and event history, helping operators spot recurring issues and reduce tenant disruption.
David Simpson, Group Product Director at Drax Technology said:
“False alarms don’t just waste emergency service time, they erode trust and create complacency as residents become desensitised to repeated alerts.
“In high-rise Build to Rent communities, remote alarm management is now essential. It verifies alarms in real time, minimises disruption, and ensures safety and compliance are never compromised. Smarter fire safety isn’t only about reducing callouts, it builds trust, reassures residents, and demonstrates responsible management. As the Build to Rent sector matures, premium rents will demand premium standards, and safety must be at the top of that list.”
In 2024/25, there were 22,195 false fire alarms in medium and high-rise buildings, up from 20,215 the previous year. All of these incidents were recorded as ‘due to apparatus’, cases where automatic fire detection equipment activated despite there being no actual fire, including accidental initiations. On more than 2,000 occasions, between seven and nine fire service vehicles were mobilised.
Nationally in England, fire and rescue services attended 250,226 false fire alarms across all property types in the year ending March 2025, meaning incidents in medium and high-rise buildings accounted for around 9%, almost one in ten, of all false alarms.
Simpson added:
“By adopting remote monitoring and analytics, operators can future-proof their buildings, cut costs, and most importantly protect residents and safeguard their reputation.
“Our solutions provide real-time visibility of fire safety, with reliable event logging and seamless integration across building systems. This level of oversight not only strengthens compliance but also sets a new benchmark for transparency, trust, and professionalism in the Build to Rent sector.”
There is no standard national charge for fire services attending false fire alarms. However, some fire and rescue services apply cost-recovery charges of up to around £417 per call-out, typically from the fourth false alarm onwards, and only in specific circumstances, such as at non-domestic premises (e.g. commercial buildings). It is widely reported that false alarms cost around £1bn per year.