Appropriate Fire Safety measures are an important consideration for all rented properties, as fire is more likely to occur in rented property than in owner occupied homes. The risk of a fire increases with the number of occupants. The Government recognise that there is a particular risk of fire in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO), especially if tenants do not know each other.

A combination of automatic fire detection and structural fire precautions may be necessary to address fire safety, depending on the size, type and occupancy of property. In addition, emergency lighting and other fire precautions might be needed.

Fire is one of the 29 Hazards identified by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). This means that landlords must assess the risk of fire in rented property and provide appropriate measures to minimise that risk. A written fire risk assessment is a requirement for all Licensable HMO’s under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005.

appropriate fire safety measures for any particular property will vary depending on its size, layout, management, and occupancy, LACORS has produced a Fire Safety Guide to aid landlords in selecting appropriate fire precautions.

Download a copy of the LACORS Housing - Fire Safety Guidance pdf 1.9Mb.

Other documents important for reference include the Building Regulations - Approved Document B: Fire Safety, which gives some alternative guidance on fire safety in HMOs and may be used at the discretion of the Council in drawing up the schedule of fire safety works in certain cases.

Also see the British Standards Institute  web site for further infirmation on the British Standards BS 5839-6: 2004 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings - Part 6: Code of practice for the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in dwellings.

If you have any questions concerning the appropriate fire precautions for rented property, please contact the Housing Standards Team using the contact details below.

Contact us

For more information on our services, or to contact us for advice about housing standards, please contact us using the details below, or by using the form at the bottom of this page:

Housing Standards Team,
Housing and Advice Services,
PO Box 6323,
Derby,
DE1 2WW

Telephone: 01332 255 160
Minicom: 01332 255 316
Email: Housing.Standards@derby.gov.uk.