Landlord Fire Safety Guidance

Your Legal Responsibilities

If you own or manage residential properties, including small blocks of flats or HMOs, you have a legal duty to ensure the fire safety of your premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations. Additionally, guidance from the Home Office Guide for Small Blocks of Flats 2024 and LACORS outlines best practices for fire safety. Your responsibilities include:

  • Conducting a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA): Identify fire hazards within communal areas, including stairwells, corridors and bin storage areas and implement measures to mitigate risks.
  • Fire Detection and Alarm Systems: Install and maintain appropriate fire detection and alarm systems in common areas and, where necessary, within individual flats. Your Fire Risk Assessment will confirm the appropriate strategy and alarm requirements for your property.
  • Emergency Lighting: For blocks with enclosed communal stairwells, emergency lighting should be installed and maintained to ensure visibility in the event of a fire.
  • Escape Route Management: Keeping escape routes clear of obstructions and combustible materials is essential. Items such as bicycles, prams, or furniture should not be stored in communal areas.
  • Providing Fire Safety Information to Residents: Supply clear instructions on fire prevention, evacuation procedures, and the importance of maintaining fire safety measures within their flats.
  • Vulnerable Residents and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs): Landlords must assess whether vulnerable residents (e.g., disabled or elderly individuals) need a tailored evacuation plan and provide suitable provisions where necessary.
  • Regularly Reviewing Fire Safety Measures: Update the FRA and safety protocols annually or when significant changes occur within the building.

Legal Consequences for Non-Compliance: If you fail to meet these responsibilities, you could face enforcement action, fines, or prosecution.

Five Essential Steps for Residential Fire Safety Compliance

  1. Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment – A legally required assessment to identify fire hazards, assess the level of risk, and implement necessary measures to protect residents. This includes checking communal areas, escape routes, fire doors, and fire detection systems. The FRA should be reviewed annually or whenever there are significant changes to the building or occupancy.
  2. Ensure Fire Doors and Escape Routes Are Maintained – Fire doors must be self-closing, well-fitted, and undamaged to provide proper fire compartmentation. Escape routes, including stairwells and corridors, must remain free from obstructions, properly lit, and clearly signposted to ensure residents can exit safely in an emergency.
  3. Provide Fire Safety Information to Residents – Residents must be informed about the fire evacuation strategy (whether ‘stay put’ or full evacuation), the location of fire exits, and general fire safety precautions. This should be communicated through fire safety notices in communal areas, tenant handbooks, or regular safety briefings.
  4. Regularly Review Your Fire Safety Measures – Fire safety requirements evolve and building use may change. Regular reviews ensure that fire safety systems, such as alarms, emergency lighting, and extinguishers, remain in working order. Conducting routine inspections and servicing all fire safety equipment is essential to maintaining compliance and protecting lives.
  5. Use a Reputable, Third-Party Accredited Company – Partnering with a trusted fire safety expert like Ezra Safety Group ensures compliance with legal requirements and best practices. Our accredited assessors provide thorough, professional Fire Risk Assessment, Fire Door inspection and ongoing support to help you meet your responsibilities and safeguard residents.

How Ezra Safety Group Can Help

Ezra Safety Group offers comprehensive services to assist you in fulfilling these obligations:

  • Fire Risk Assessment: Our experts conduct thorough assessments, providing actionable recommendations to enhance safety.
  • Fire Door Inspection: We ensure all fire doors meet regulatory standards and function correctly.
  • Guidance on evacuation planning and resident fire safety awareness: We can support you in creating an evacuation plan an making sure residents have the correct information.
  • Ongoing Support: We offer continuous guidance to help you adapt to evolving fire safety regulations and maintain compliance.

Stay Compliant & Protect Lives – Investing in fire safety is not just a legal obligation—it’s a responsibility to protect lives and property. Let Ezra Safety Group help you navigate fire safety requirements with confidence.

Get in Touch Today

We offer Fire Risk Inspections for Landlords in Preston, Lancashire, Blackpool, Chorley, Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, Blackburn, Cumbria and beyond.

Call us 01772 349589
Email us info@ezrasafetygroup.co.uk
Visit our website www.ezrasafetygroup.co.uk