Smoke & fire protection
This requires at least one smoke detector on every storey of a rental property and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room that contains a solid fuel burning appliance (for instance, a coal fire or wood burning stove). Failure to comply with these regulations not only puts tenants at risk, but is also prosecutable of up to a £5,000 fine. With regards to private rental properties in Scotland, the Housing
(Scotland) Act 2006 requires private landlords to install a higher level of protection throughout the property, ensuring Category LD2 requirements are met. This requires additional protection in rooms that present a high fire risk to occupants such as the kitchen and living room. For private landlords in Northern Ireland, there are no specific fire safety
legislations regarding private rental properties. However, under the Private Tenancies (NI) Order 2006, landlords must ensure their properties are “Safe and would not cause injury or death to occupants.” Landlords must also be able to prove “due diligence” in court, should a fire occur. Fundamentally, fire safety in rented accommodation should be equivalent to
that of a new build. It is therefore best practice to follow fire safety specified in the building regulations which is category LD2. To provide overarching protection and prevention, anti-fire products
suitable for both the accommodation and the tenant should also be installed. These include fire doors, fire blankets and extinguishers.
TIP FOUR: PUTTING ALARMS TO THE TEST Once the appropriate alarm has been installed in the property, landlords are then under a legal responsibility to ensure the alarms comply with British Standards and are checked at the beginning of each tenancy to make sure they are working correctly. They should also make tenants aware of their own responsibility to check the alarm at least once a week, while also cleaning
them every three months.
TIP FIVE: GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH TENANTS Although not a legal requirement, landlords should proactively communicate with their tenants, effectively sharing information that ensures their continued safety while living in their property. This includes educating them on what to do in the event of a fire, e.g. outlining all exit routes and assembly points, while also identifying the potential fire hazards present within the property. Over half of accidental domestic fires are caused due to cooking, while 36
per cent are caused due to the misuse of electrical items. Landlords should install signs and instructions throughout the property in a range of languages that outlines all of this information. Landlords should also consider implementing a smoking policy to reduce
the potential risk of smoking related fires. Tenants should be made aware of the potential fire dangers smoking presents and could additionally install smoking points with safe cigarette disposal outside of the property. In light of recent events, ensuring the safety of tenants has never been more
paramount. In order to successfully achieve this, landlords must take a proactive approach to the fire safety of their property by following best practice to provide tenants with the highest level of protection available. In England, the 2015 fire safety (England) legislation falls short of the protective levels recommended in the BS 5839-6 guidance, which is designed to help private landlords meet and go beyond legislative requirements. Fundamentally, it provides a level of fire safety that is recommended as best practice, and it is highly advised to follow guidance to provide tenants with the highest level of protection available.
James King is the sales director for FireAngel
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www.arp-ltd.com 48 | HMM November 2017 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
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