Industry Viewfinder
Tis year, just 4% said fire safety in their stock had slightly worsened over this period (4%, 2023), and no respondents said it had worsened or vastly worsened, both at 1% in 2023.
LEGISLATION Considering progress in fire safety legislation over the same period, 10% believed it had vastly improved (14%, 2023), 51% said it had improved (37%, 2023), and 23% said slightly improved (43%, 2023). A notable 10% believed legislation had slightly worsened over this
period (5%, 2023), 4% worsened (1%, 2023), and 1% vastly worsened (0%, 2023) – though an 85% approval rating for legislative changes is arguably quite successful.
PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR Tis year saw a fall in the perception of fire safety in the private rental sector. 2% said it had vastly improved over the last five years (15%, 2023), 33% said it had improved (32%, 2023), and 33% said it had slightly improved (47%, 2023). Tis leaves 23% who believed it had slightly worsened over this period (4%, 2023), 8% worsened (3%, 2023), and none vastly worsened, as in 2023.
SOCIAL HOUSING 8% believed fire safety in social housing had vastly improved over the last five years (15%, 2023), 52% improved (32%, 2023), and 21% slightly improved (47%, 2023). Another negative trend, leſt 14% that believed it had slightly worsened (5%, 2023), 6% worsened (1%, 2023) and again none vastly worsened for both years.
SPECIFICATION Respondents were also asked about two areas of their stock’s specification in particular, category LD2 fire detection systems – required in circulation areas that form part of the escape routes – and unsafe cladding – with the potential to increase the spread of a fire.
LD2 DETECTION SYSTEMS When asked what percentage of their properties have a Category LD2 fire detection system installed, 28% said 10 to 50% (14% 2023), 7% said 60 to 70% (9%, 2023), 7% said 80 to 90% (11%, 2023), 40% said all of their properties (33%, 2023), and 18% said none (18%, 2023).
UNSAFE CLADDING While 73% this year said they have not worked on any housing in the last six months that had unsafe cladding installed (81%, 2023), this leaves the 27% (19%, 2023) who were still working on buildings they believed to be unsafe because of the cladding on them.
FOUR YEARS OF BARRIERS While the majority of respondents have adapted well to fire safety changes in the last two years, there are still those who continue to report failings. Our research data since 2021 goes some way to form a picture of why this is – highlighting where companies are failing, and the barriers to their success.
FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS Fire risk assessments are a vital component in ensuring the risk of fires starting are low, as well as of it spreading, and that people are alerted when it does occur and able to escape. Since 2021, housing professionals were asked how oſten they completed
assessments, how oſten they passed, what their main causes of failure were, and how long it took them to address the issues.
FREQUENCY When asked how oſten respondents conducted fire risk assessments, the average time has slowly fallen, though negligibly from 2023.
How often do you or your association/organisation conduct fire risk assessments on each property under your company’s remit
In 2021, the average was 336 days between assessments, 319 in 2022, 305 in
2023, and 304 in 2024. Further, across all years, there is always a very small – but still disturbing –
minority who continue to report that no fire risk assessments are conducted across their stock, at 4% in 2021, 2% in 2022, 4% last year, and 3% this year.
PASS OR FAIL Looking at the rate of passing these assessments, respondents across all years reported a relatively strong performance. In 2021, the average was 78%, in 2022 it was 90%, in 2023 it was 81%, and 82% in 2024. Tough fairly high, it does mean that in most years, around 1 in 5 assessments taken are failed.
CAUSES OF FAILURE Looking at their most common reasons for failing fire risk assessments, the top three of each year highlighted consistent pressure points. Across all years, issues around fire doors were the most commonly cited
cause of failure, with recurring themes in the second and third places. In 2021, fire doors were followed by ageing properties, then ageing products.
2022 was the same but in reverse. In 2023 it was holes in walls, then ageing properties. And in 2024, again fire doors were followed by ageing products, then ageing properties.
REMEDIATION Considering how long it takes to address these issues on average, the results were also fairly consistent – despite a dip in 2022-23. In 2021, respondents reported it took them around 42 days to address assessment failures, 33 days in 2022, 27 days in 2023, and 43 days in 2024.
SOURCES OF RISK From 2022, respondents were also asked what they believed to be the largest cause of risk to fire safety in housing, and the main reasons they believe this risk remains.
BIGGEST CAUSES OF RISK As to the causes of risk, there was fairly little consensus among respondents. Te top three cited as the greatest fire risk in housing in 2022 were flammable products, followed by smoking and broken fire doors. In 2023, candles were the most common, followed by electrical faults, and then faulty appliances.
30 | HMMAugust/September 2024 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
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