Fire Safety Advice for Landlords
Have you ever thought about what smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors you must have fitted in your rented property?
If you’re a landlord, you must follow fire safety regulations and take certain precautions for the safety of your tenants. As a tenant, it’s in your interest to make sure the home you’re renting has been thoroughly inspected for fire risks.
Property Types and Safety Requirements
Flat/House - Single-family occupancy: An interconnected system of long-life smoke alarms throughout the property, and CO alarms in all high-risk rooms.
HMO - 1 or 2 story, Individual floor area of less than 200sqm: An appropriate mains-powered interconnected smoke alarm system, with CO alarms in all high-risk rooms. Special HMO guides apply.
HMO - 3 stories or higher: An appropriate fire alarm system with a central panel, with CO alarms in all high-risk rooms. Special HMO guides apply.
Detection Matters
Tenants of properties without suitable fire or carbon monoxide detectors have a higher than average chance of being killed or injured in their homes. Between April 2013 and March 2014, it was recorded that 97 people died and 1,900 were injured in domestic fires where no smoke alarm was present in the properties. It is also estimated that there are around 50 deaths and over 1,100 hospital admissions annually as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Smoke Alarms
Essentially, the more smoke alarms in a property the better. Having multiple, fully functioning alarms save vital seconds which will aid your tenants’ safe escape in the event of a fire. For larger properties, a network of interconnected smoke alarms is advisable to ensure if one alarm is raised, the sound can be heard throughout the building.
For single occupancy homes, it is a requirement that there is at least one smoke alarm per floor, but many people tend to have extra alarms in bedrooms. It’s good practice to make sure that alarms are working properly, and can be heard from all over the house, whether awake or asleep.
For HMOs detailed requirements for the different sizes and types of HMO exist. A fire risk assessment must be carried out in the communal areas of HMOs too.
Contacting for Help
If you are a tenant and you feel there is insufficient protection within your building, you should discuss the situation with your landlord first. If they are unhelpful and unwilling to install the necessary alarms to meet legal requirements, they can be reported to the local housing authority.
If you are a landlord looking for help with your fire safety and risk assessments of your property, we can help.
At Firestoppers, we offer a one-stop shop for fire and security systems, and we put customer service at the heart of our one-stop shop. Our extensive range of services are carried out by fully qualified professionals and are fully insured and covered by Fire Stoppers Limited. Our team are experts in design, service, maintenance and commissioning of fire alarms, extinguishers, and emergency lighting.
If you require any further information or want to enquire about our one-stop shop, then contact us today on 0800 799 9514, or click here to fill out our online enquiry form.
