This is a reminder of a previous communication from us but as part of the response to the Grenfell disaster, the government has introduced the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. These changes came into effect on 23rd January this year.
Most of these new requirements are relevant specifically to high-rise buildings (at least 18 meters in height) but some requirements will apply to other buildings; many will be the type of buildings that landlords are likely to own, specifically properties that:
- Are split into at least two premises; and
- There are communal parts through which residents must pass to exit the building.
Therefore, if you are the ‘responsible person’ for a house in multiple occupation (HMO) or a small freehold block of flats then some of the requirements of the updated legislation will be relevant. Alternatively, if you own a property with a shop on one floor and a residential premises on another floor, then these rules will apply to any common parts (if there are any). However, the requirements themselves are relatively minimal in these circumstances (see below). The ‘responsible person’ for a property, is the individual who is responsible for the safety of the building. This will be the person who has control over the communal parts of a building i.e., the landlord.
So, what are the current requirements for an HMO?
There are two key requirements that all responsible people will have to follow:
- Providing fire safety instructions to occupants
- Providing information on fire doors in the property
(See below)
General fire safety instructions
Fire safety instructions must cover:
- the evacuation strategy for the building.
- instructions on how to report a fire.
- any other instruction that tells residents what they must do if a fire occurs.
Fire door-specific instructions (information that must be included in the fire safety instructions)
- fire doors should be shut when not in use.
- residents or their guests should not tamper with self-closing devices on fire doors.
- residents should report any fault with, or damage to, fire doors immediately to the Responsible Person.
Where to display and how to communicate this information
- This information should be provided in a clear, easy to understand format to all occupants as soon as reasonably practical after the start of their tenancy.
- All existing tenants must receive this information as soon as possible after the introduction of the legislation changes and then every 12 months thereafter.
- A copy of this information must also be displayed in a conspicuous part of the building. For example, this would be the notice board in the HMO.
At Lifeboat Lettings we will always help and advise our landlords and assist where we can.
If you would like some help with the fire safety regulations in your properties, please email contact@lifeboatlettings.com with your query.
