Fire safety regulations for landlords

A fire at your rental property could be devastating for you and your tenant. A risk to life, significant damage to your property and tenant’s belongings, huge disruption to your lives, and a massive expense if you’re uninsured. 

There were over 38,000 house fires in the UK last year and it’s a landlord’s responsibility to do what they can to prevent one starting at their property. From knowing your legal obligations to the extra steps you can take to protect your property and tenant, read on for information on:

• landlords’ fire safety regulations
• the fire safety legal requirement for rental properties
• how to do a fire safety risk assessment 
• essential fire safety equipment  
• how to communicate with your tenant 
• understanding Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 
• insuring your rental property

Landlords’ fire safety regulations 

Landlords have a responsibility to give their tenants somewhere safe to live and fire safety is a big part of that. While there are many ways to keep your property and tenant safe, there’s a bare minimum requirement that all landlords must meet. 

The fire safety legal requirement for rental properties

According to The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 and The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 all landlords must: 

• provide smoke alarms for each floor of their property 
• set up a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance (like a coal fire or wood burning stove) 
• make sure all the furniture and furnishings you supply are fire safe 
• have clear exits for tenants at all times 
• provide fire extinguishers if the property is a large house in multiple occupation (HMO)

It’s worth noting that these steps are considered the bare minimum and it might be sensible for you to take further action to protect your tenant and property. 

Do a fire risk assessment of your property 

The only other requirement for landlords is doing a fire safety risk assessment of the property. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that a ‘reasonable person’ must complete the assessment. 

What is a reasonable person? Most of the time you’ll be able to complete the assessment yourself. But if you’re unsure or want a professional opinion, you can use a fire safety specialist. 

Here are some of the key things to consider when assessing your rental property:

• identify the fire hazards – other than the obvious risks like candles and fireplaces, also think about electrical faults, fire exits, and your property’s heating systems too 
• identify who’s at risk – how many people live at the property? Would any of them need extra assistance exiting the property in an emergency? 
• evaluate, remove, and reduce risk – once you’ve identified the risks, take action to eliminate, mitigate, or reduce them
• make a record – once you’ve identified the risks and made a plan on how you’ll manage them, you then need to document it
• review it regularly – make sure you revisit your risk assessment yearly to stay on top of any new risks

Essential fire safety equipment for your property  

Depending on the type of rental property you own, some of these items will be a legal requirement. But all of them can be useful pieces of safety equipment for your tenant to help keep themselves and the property safe.   

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms 

It’s a legal requirement for you to have a fire alarm on each floor of your rental property. As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to make sure:

• there’s a working alarm at the beginning of a tenancy 
• a broken alarm is replaced once you’re made aware it’s faulty  

And you can use either a mains or battery powered alarm as long as they’re compliant with the British Standards BS 5839-6. 

Since October 2022, it’s also become a legal requirement for a carbon monoxide detector to be placed in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance.

Fire extinguishers 

It’s only mandatory to supply your tenant with a fire extinguisher if the property is a large HMO. But it’s an effective safety measure to have in your property if you advise your tenants on how to use one. 

Your tenant’s safety is the number one priority and they should evacuate the building if a large fire breaks out. But in cases where there’s a small fire, an extinguisher can prevent things from getting out of control.  

Fire blanket 

There’s no requirement for you to have a fire blanket at your property. They’re just an affordable and simple tool for smothering small fires. 

They’re typically found in places where small fires are most likely to happen, such as in the kitchen or near a fireplace. And they’re a good way to show you’re mitigating risks that you’ve highlighted in your risk assessment. 

Again, you’ll want to communicate to tenants how and when to use a fire blanket.  

Communicate with your tenant 

Regular communication with your tenant is one of the most important ways to maintain good fire safety at your property. Because you’re not at the property all the time, you’ll need to rely on your tenant to stay on top of a few things: 

• regularly testing the alarms in the property 
• keeping fire exit routes clear 
• informing you when there’s any electrical faults in the property 

And it’s important to lay out these expectations in your tenancy agreement, so safety remains a priority.  

Understanding Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022  are only relevant to landlords that rent out flats in tower blocks. If this applies to you, here are the main requirements: 

• make sure fire doors are fire resistant and close by themselves
• provide tenants with information on fire safety, including escape routes, alarm procedures, and fire door safety
• for buildings over 18 metres, provide personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for residents who may need assistance
• install clear and visible signage in stairwells to indicate escape routes

Insure your rental property

A fire can be devastating for your tenants and property. Even after taking all of these precautionary measures you could still end up in a very challenging situation. 

Buildings insurance for landlords can give you peace of mind that you’ll get support even in the most difficult circumstances. If your property burnt down and you needed to rebuild, landlord buildings insurance can cover the cost, along with loss of rental income and property owners’ liability cover from £2 million.

Are you following these  fire safety regulations for landlords? Let us know in the comments below. 

More useful guides for landlords 

• How much does landlord insurance cost?
• What is an EPC rating?
• A landlord’s guide to property maintenance
• Property viewing checklist: a landlord’s guide