Fire Safety And Risk Assessment Specialists
Shared housing & House in multiple occupation (HMO)
Fire risk assessment service.
We are fire risk assessment specialists, providing Landlords, letting agents and property managers with fast turnarounds, ongoing support, and high-standard reporting and action plans.
Do I need a fire risk assessment for my HMO property?
Yes, a fire risk assessment should be conducted and recorded to meet the Housing Act 2004 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) this order applies to the:
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common parts of HMOs (but not shared houses).
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common parts of buildings containing flats and maisonettes.
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common parts of sheltered accommodation.
Your fire risk assessment will take into account details such as:
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Type 1 (non-destructive) risk assessment.
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The line between your responsibilities and those of your tenants.
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Current fire hazards and how to eliminate or reduce them.
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Legal requirements for fire detection and warning, and additional measures that are reasonably practicable.
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Firefighting equipment suitable for your premises.
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Service schedules for fire safety provisions.
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Periods and triggers for review of the fire risk assessment and control measures.
The definition of house in multiple occupation (HMO)
The definition of house in multiple occupation (HMO) is contained in section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. The definition is complex and for detailed understanding then the Act itself should be studied. For general purposes the definition can be summarised as follows.
A building is an HMO if it:
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Is occupied by more than one household and where more than one household shares (or lacks) an amenity such as a bathroom, toilet or cooking facilities.
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Is occupied by more than one household and is a converted building, but not entirely self-contained flats (whether or not some amenities are shared or lacking).
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Is converted self-contained flats but does not meet as a minimum standard the requirements of the 1991 Building Regulations, and more than one third of the flats are privately rented; or
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An HMO declaration has been made by the Local Housing Authority (LHA) under section 255 of the Housing Act 2004.
Landlords, letting agents and property managers.
If you rent out a property or are responsible for managing rented properties on a landlord's behalf, you have a legal responsibility to ensure the accommodation is fit for purpose and safe.
There are three main pieces of legislation that cover fire safety in rental properties:
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The Housing Act 2004
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Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
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The Fire Safety Order
The Housing Act 2004:
This sets out the requirements for fire safety in residential properties, including:
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flats
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shared houses
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houses in multiple occupation (HMO)
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a house rented to an individual or single family
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the common parts of blocks of flats and HMOs.
As a landlord, you may need to obtain a licence to let your property.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015:
This sets out the requirement to fit and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms within the residential accommodation.
as a HMO.
The Fire Safety Order:
This applies to the common parts of a HMO or blocks of flats. The areas shared with other tenants and/or leaseholders. It also applies to any areas within the building used as a workplace. For example, a room used by a caretaker or concierge.
The Fire Safety Order still applies if you're in building without a landlord and where the leaseholders are responsible for the communal areas.
More information:
Shared parts of a building.
If you are responsible for the common areas of a HMO or block of flats, you are also required to comply with the Fire Safety Order alongside the Housing Act.
It is your responsibility to:
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reduce the likelihood of fire.
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limit the spread of fire.
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ensure people will know about a fire and can escape.
The Fire Safety Order applies to the common parts of a building that might be shared between different residents.
Shared areas could include:
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stairs
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corridors
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reception areas or lobbies
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car parks
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shared living areas such as kitchens
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laundry rooms or bin stores
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residents’ community room
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roof spaces and service risers.
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You are also responsible for the external elements of the building (e.g. cladding, balconies and windows) to prevent external fire spread
What you need to do in shared areas of a property.
If you’re the responsible person for a property – you are the one responsible for keeping your residents as safe as possible from fire.
To comply with the law you will need to:
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Carry out a fire risk assessment for each property you rent out and review it regularly (we recommend at least once a year)
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Put in place appropriate fire safety measures and maintain them
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Put in place an appropriate evacuation plan
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Ensure those on the premises know what to do in the event of a fire or on hearing an alarm
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Provide fire safety information to residents and fire safety training for staff.
The Fire risk assessment process
1.Quotation
2. Site Visit
3.Report Created
4.Handover
This short guide is intended to
assist those with duties under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations to comply with Regulation 10, which makes requirements about fire doors in all buildings that contain two or more domestic premises and that contain common parts, through which residents would need to evacuate in a fire.
This short guide is intended to assist ‘persons’ with duties under fire safety legislation in England
to comply with the legislation.
Its purpose is to explain the duties in simple, non-legal language.
As such, it is not a guide to completing a fire risk assessment
Competent Fire Risk Assessors Register (CFRAR)
The Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council (FRACC) has published a set of criteria against which the competency of those undertaking fire risk assessments can be judged. Our team are all accredited via the Institute of Fire Safety Managers. Listed within the Competent Fire Risk Assessors Register (CFRAR)
