Landlords' responsibilities

If there is more than one tenancy or family living in a house or flat, the property is called a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), and as a landlord you must make sure there are adequate fire safety measures in place for tenants.

• Equipment
• Escape routes
• Larger properties
• Furniture and furnishings
• Free home fire safety checks
• Further guidance

In October 2006 the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (The Order) will be introduced. If your premises is not a ‘single private dwelling’ then the Order will place specific duties on the responsible person (e.g. the landlord) to undertake a fire risk assessment of their premises and ensure that the general fire precautions are satisfactory.

Equipment

Fire detection: HMOs must be equipped with fire alarms and heat or smoke detectors. They should be located in vulnerable areas such as kitchens and should also be accessible in escape routes.

Smoke and fire alarms, should conform to BS5446 Part 1. Electrical alarms and automatic fire detection systems should conform to either BS 5839 Part 1 or BS 5839 Part 6 (dependant on the size and type of premises).

These must be connected to the electricity supply and each alarm should be inter-connected and audible throughout the entire building.

Firefighting: There should be at least one portable fire extinguisher on each floor of the property and all shared kitchens should have a fire blanket.

The type and size of the extinguisher will vary depending on the risk. However powder or foam extinguishers are normally considered the most suitable for use in kitchens. 

Extinguishers should be visible and accessible but placed out of the reach of young children.

You should arrange for all fire equipment to be regularly serviced and kept in good working order at all times.

Fire escape routes

A fire escape route is usually the normal route to the street door of the house or flat. It may be necessary to provide additional exit routes in larger properties with more occupants. Appropriate signage should be provided to identify any additional exit routes.

Once you have identified an escape route, you must ensure that the walls, ceilings, doors, glazing, staircases and staircase enclosures along the route to the exit door are capable of resisting fire for at least 30 minutes.  

The escape route including staircases and corridors must be kept clear of obstructions at all times and should not be used as a storage area, especially for combustible items.

Exit (street) doors must be fitted with a lock which can be easily opened from the inside without a key. All fire-resisting doors should be self closing.

Larger properties

Generally speaking, the more storeys in your property, the more fire safety equipment and escape routes you should provide and maintain. This also applies if the layout of your property is not simple but includes a number of corridors leading in different directions. As a rule, the larger the property, the more fire safety measures must be in place.

Escape routes should be fitted with fire exit signs if the escape route is not the normal way out. If there is a basement, there must be a fire-resistant door between it and the ground floor.

Occupants should have more than one means of quick escape. If the property has an external escape route, it should be protected from smoke and fire.

An emergency lighting system should be installed to illuminate escape routes so that occupants can safely leave the building in an emergency situation.

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations [Amendment] 1989]

If you provide new or second hand furniture in your property, under section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 you must ensure that it meets safety standards on fire resistance. This applies to all furniture provided after 1 March 1993 and made after 1950. 

Display labels should be attached to all furniture meeting the requirements stating that the item meets the necessary requirements of the 1988 Safety Regulations.

Supplying furniture that does not meet these standards could lead to up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine of £5000.

Furthermore, if a fire started in your property and the furnishings were found to be below regulatory standards, you would face more serious penalties for contributing to any deaths or injuries.

Free home fire safety checks

We are carrying out home fire safety checks in your borough. Find out more about how to arrange a visit.

Further Guidance

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has produced guidance notes that tell you what you have to do to comply with fire safety law, help you to carry out a fire risk assessment and identify the general fire precautions you need to have in place.

The guides are designed so that a responsible person, with limited formal training or experience, should be able to carry out a fire risk assessment. If you read the guide and decide you are unable to apply the guidance then you should seek expert advice.

More complex premises will probably need to be assessed by a person who has comprehensive training or experience in fire risk assessment.

back to top