It’s a legal requirement for a landlord or agents in charge of a property to ensure that the property meets all of the necessary fire safety requirements. Meeting a specific set of regulations is essential for any occupants to be safe from fire in the property. To find out the fire regulations for rental properties and fire safety regulations for landlords, continue reading our guide.
Importance of HMO fire regulations
Houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) are measured by strict fire safety regulations that landlords have to abide by. These HMO fire regulations are put in place to ensure the safety of the building’s occupants. If the landlord or agents in charge of the property do not follow the fire safety requirements and a fire takes place, legal action can be taken against them.
According to the fire and rescue incident statistics for 2021, there were a total of 555,358 incidents reported and attended to. Of these incidents, 147,295 were fires that led to 280 fire-related fatalities. So it’s imperative that anybody in charge of a property ensures that it’s up to scratch in terms of the fire safety regulations.
Fire safety regulations for landlords
Landlords are legally required to take a number of fire safety precautions at their properties. The bare minimum they should provide is:
- Provide a smoke alarm on each storey of the building, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance (for example, a coal fire or wood burning stove).
- Check tenants have proper access to escape routes at all times in the event of a fire.
- Make sure any furniture and furnishings are fire safe.
- Provide fire alarms and extinguishers if the property is large, such as a HMO.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
A requirement by law is to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every floor of a rental property, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance. Landlords must also make sure that all fire alarms are in good working order at the start of each new tenancy. It’s also good practice to urge tenants to regularly inspect the smoke alarms throughout the property. When carrying out routine property inspections, landlords should check the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms too.
Fire escape routes
Another legal requirement for landlords is to ensure that tenants have access to a safe and reliable escape route at all times. In the event of a fire, escape routes must have emergency lighting, while floors and walls should be made of fire-resistant materials.
Fire escapes should also be accessible from every floor and room in the property to prevent occupants from becoming trapped.
Fire safe furniture
Any furniture or soft furnishings provided by the landlord must meet fire safety standards and should be made from fire-resistant materials. This information is usually provided on the manufacturer’s label on the item.
The only items that don’t have to meet these standards are mattresses, bed frames, pillows, cushions and bedding covers. However, it’s best to do more than just the minimum requirements and ensure that occupants are protected by high fire safety standards.
Fire extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are only obligatory in large HMOs. However, it’s a good idea to provide one where possible, regardless of property type.
Fire risk assessment
Fire risk assessments are a legal requirement for many rental properties. The landlord or agents in charge of the property can undertake the risk assessment and provide documentation for tenants. However, if they’re unable to, professional inspectors can be hired to perform the checks instead.
A fire risk assessment is an organised inspection of a property or premises to ascertain if there are any fire hazards that could cause harm, identifying the measures in place, and estimating the level of risk for existing hazards. The aim is to remove any hazards and to reduce them to an acceptable level.
Fire risk assessments with NW Fire Solutions
At NW Fire Solutions, we provide all types of fire risk assessments for all types of properties, from residential and commercial to industrial and educational fire risk assessments. We’ll help you stay compliant with your responsibilities as a premises owner or manager.
If you’re a property owner and would like us to undertake a fire risk assessment to abide by fire regulations for rental properties, contact us today on 0151 665 0124 or email us at info@nwfiresolutions.co.uk.