What are the new fire regulations for landlords?

There are a myriad of rules, laws and regulations to learn when you become a landlord – and the learning never stops. With regulations ever-changing, keeping on top of them should always be a priority.

This is especially true when it comes to fire safety. A landlord has some very important responsibilities when it comes to ensuring that their property is safe from fire hazards and risk. Let’s explain these responsibilities and the new fire regulations for landlords.

Landlord responsibilities for fire safety

A landlord is responsible for keeping the property safe and free from fire hazards. This includes:

• Providing fire-resistant furniture and fittings
• Installing a smoke alarm on each storey
• Ensuring access to escape routes at all times
• Providing up-to-date safety certificates
• Carrying out portable appliance tests annually.

Every landlord must also carry out a fire risk assessment before letting their property. For single lets, you can carry out your fire risk assessment by yourself if you feel that you have enough knowledge to do so. If you don’t, you can book a professional to carry one out for you.

Fire safety checks should be carried out annually. This will allow any new hazards to be identified and any changes or issues with alarms and detectors to be picked up on. Before carrying out your annual fire risk assessment, consult the Gov.UK website to check for any regulation changes.

Fire safety regulations for HMOs

HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) carry a heightened fire risk due to the number of occupants sharing the property. Therefore, HMO landlords have a heavier weight of responsibility when it comes to fire regulations. These include:

• Installing interconnected smoke alarms in every room, including communal areas
• Installing a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with fuel-burning appliances
• Fitting fire doors to all internal doors
• Ensuring that all escape routes are clear and unobstructed
• Installing emergency lighting in common areas
• Providing fire safety information to tenants
• Conducting regular fire drills.

Consult with your local fire authority for detailed advice around HMO fire regulations for landlords, and any new fire regulations for landlords. Specific requirements may vary depending on the size and layout of your HMO.

New fire regulations for landlords

There have been a lot of changes and new fire regulations for landlords in recent years, much of which has been as a fallout of the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Much of it refers to landlords of purpose-built flats.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to non-domestic premises and buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises, such as purpose-built blocks of flats or converted houses.

New fire regulations for landlords came into effect on May 16th 2022 following the Fire Safety Act 2021. These changes affected not only the common parts of the building but also:

• The building’s structure and external walls and any common parts
• All doors between the domestic premises and common parts
• The external walls including the doors and windows in these walls, and anything attached to the exterior including balconies.

The order also made more clear the responsibilities and legal duties of a landlord (or freeholder/managing agent/facilities manager of the building) when it comes to fire safety. These include:

• Carrying out a fire risk assessment, identifying what fire precautions need to be made and making a record
• Eliminating or reducing fire risks
• Ensuring that the building has appropriate fire-fighting equipment with fire detectors and alarms
• Ensuring that routes to emergency exits are kept clear at all times
• Establishing procedures such as fire safety drills, nominating competent persons and giving training to help with evacuations
• Ensuring that the premises and any facilities, equipment and devices are maintained and in an efficient state of repair.

On 1st October 2023, notable changes came into effect to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RR(FS)O). These changes primarily focus on documentation, record-keeping and information sharing.

As per Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022, landlords (or the responsible persons of a building with two or more sets of domestic premises) must now record their fire risk assessments in full, including contact details of the person who conducted it and must share fire safety information with other responsible people in the building.

This must be in a format that is easily understood by the residents and must include:

• The risks to residents of the domestic premises identified by the risk assessment
• The preventative and protective measures
• The identity of the responsible person.

The changes also brought increased penalties into effect for non-compliance.

Carbon monoxide and smoke detector regulations for landlords

Let’s talk in a little more detail about carbon monoxide and smoke detector regulations for landlords.

Carbon monoxide regulations for landlords

New regulations regarding carbon monoxide came into effect on the 1st of October 2022. They state that any room with a fuel burning appliance such as a boiler or wood-burning stove should have a carbon monoxide alarm. This does not apply if the fireplace is decorative and has been blocked.

Carbon monoxide alarms must be checked on the day that a new tenancy begins and should then be checked once a year. Your gas engineer can do this when they carry out your annual gas safety checks.

Should your carbon monoxide alarm need repairing or replacing, it is a landlord’s responsibility to do so.

Smoke alarm regulations for landlords

Similar regulations regarding smoke alarms also came into effect on October 1st 2022. These state that landlords must provide at least one smoke alarm on each storey of their property. This doesn’t apply to cellars or lofts if they are not habitable spaces.

Smoke alarms should be tested at the start of the tenancy and then annually going forwards. Again, this can be carried out by your gas engineer.

You can’t ensure your property protection from every risk and eventuality. You can, however, enjoy protection with landlord insurance. With CIA Landlords, you can compare landlord insurance to find the best quote for your needs. Just give us a call on 01788 818 670 or get a quote now.