Thousands of UK residential buildings require waking watch services following fire safety assessments — yet most building owners and managing agents have little understanding of what the service actually involves or what the law requires. This complete 2026 guide covers what a waking watch service is, the legal framework under the Fire Safety Act 2021 and Building Safety Act 2022, how many officers are required, how long it lasts and how Pearl Security delivers NFCC-compliant waking watch services across Sheffield and South Yorkshire.