Many property managers and landlords in the UK are required to conduct fire risk assessments to ensure that their occupants are safe and that their property meets the UK fire safety regulations standard.
If you’re interested in finding out everything there is to know about fire risk assessments for landlords, this article is for you.
Who is responsible for fire risk assessments – landlord or tenant?
Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring fire risk assessments are carried out if the premises has two or more individual households.
If you have the correct expertise, you can carry out a fire risk assessment yourself. However, it is recommended that the inspection is carried out by a professional who can ensure the assessments are conducted effectively.
Typically, for bigger buildings or premises, it’s important to have a professional fire risk assessment for your property.
Tenants also have a part to play in keeping their spaces safe, avoiding creating fire hazards, and following any fire safety advice from the landlord. In commercial properties, whether the tenant or landlord handles the fire risk assessment often depends on the lease agreement, so it’s worth checking.
Ultimately, landlords need to take the lead when it comes to arranging a fire risk assessment, but both landlords and tenants must work together to keep the property safe.
What fire risks should landlords be aware of during a fire risk assessment?
The purpose of a fire risk assessment is to identify risks and ensure that proper fire safety measures are in place. Some of the risks inspectors look out for are:
- Potential ignition sources: i.e. electrical equipment, smoking materials, flammable substances.
- Potential of fire spreading: i.e. building materials, building layout, sprinkler systems, fire-resistant doors.
- Impact of a fire: i.e. harm to people, property and environment,
- Effectiveness of existing fire safety measures: such as fire alarms, evacuation procedures and identifying areas of improvement.
- Levels of staff and tenant safety awareness.
- What is the property used for? Are fires used regularly, i.e. kitchens?
Common fire hazards in rental properties
Fire safety is all about spotting risks before they become a problem.
For landlords, some common hazards to watch out for in rental properties include:
- Faulty wiring or old electrical systems
- Blocked escape routes
- Overloaded sockets and extension leads
- Flammable materials
- Damaged or missing fire safety equipment
Landlord fire safety is about staying alert to these hazards and addressing them quickly. Regular fire risk assessments will help you stay on top of potential risks and keep tenants safe.
How often does a fire risk assessment need to be carried out?
The law suggests that a fire risk assessment is reviewed regularly.
It is recommended that a review is conducted annually to ensure fire hazards are still identified and managed to meet the legal requirements.
A review should be conducted if changes in the premises may impact any of the fire safety measures, some examples are:
- Changes to the occupancy – either the number of occupants or if a fire has occurred
- Extended property development i.e. an extension
- Damaged, stolen or replaced fire safety equipment
- Changes to internal layout which may affect escape routes
Your fire risk assessment must be valid and up to date, as well as reviewed regularly. This ensures that fire safety measures meet the correct standards and reduce the risk to life due to fire.
What is the landlord’s responsibility after a fire risk assessment?
The fire risk assessment report will detail any action required to ensure everything is in place to protect the occupants.
This will then need to be reviewed regularly, we will send a reminder annually and we can carry out a new assessment.
This is particularly useful if you have student accommodation, where the tenants change annually.
What penalties do landlords face for not following fire risk laws and regulations?
As a landlord, property owner or manager, it is your legal obligation to ensure that your tenants or employees are safe from fire, smoke and carbon monoxide according to the Housing Act (2004) and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (2005).
Failure to abide by fire safety laws can result in a fine or a prison sentence, depending on the severity of the incident and the level of irresponsibility. You could also be legally banned from letting or managing properties.
An example of an individual who had to face fire safety offences is Mr. D Lusty from Bedford. In 2022, Mr Lusty plead guilty to the four offences of the Fire Safety Order and was fined a total of £50,525!
Fire risk assessments for landlords are an important part of ensuring you meet the correct legal requirements and ensure the safety of residents. This also applies to property managers.
Which properties require a fire risk assessment in the UK?
Since October 2023, fire risk assessments for rental properties, commercial properties and business premises with employees are a legal requirement.
All fire risk assessments must be recorded, regardless of the number of employees. The assessment must document all findings, not just the required actions, to ensure full compliance with fire safety regulations.
You can find more details on your responsibilities in Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022.
This includes (but is not limited to):
- Flats
- Residential homes
- Schools
- Surgeries
- Salons
- Airbnb’s
- Hotels
- HMOs
Are tenants also responsible for fire safety?
Yes! Tenants are responsible for their own space and to each other, this does need to be made clear either within the contract or with a Fire safety policy.
It is important that tenants are careful when it comes to fire safety and avoid or report potential fire risks. For example, avoiding smoking indoors and overloading electrical sockets.
However, as a property manager or landlord, you are responsible for ensuring tenants are aware of escape routes and fire safety plans, as well as conducting fire risk assessments and addressing any potential fire hazards.
If the building has commercial tenants operating from it, each tenant is also responsible for carrying out a fire risk assessment for their own space.
Keep your occupants safe with fire risk assessments
Fire safety is a shared responsibility, but landlords play the key role in keeping properties safe.
Regular fire risk assessments, clear escape routes, working alarms, and addressing hazards like faulty wiring are all part of the job. For tenants, it’s about being mindful of fire risks, like avoiding overloaded sockets and following safety rules.
For landlords, staying on top of fire safety isn’t just a legal requirement – it’s about protecting lives and your property.
Here at FireRiskAssessments.com, we make it easy for landlords to meet their responsibilities and keep everyone safe. Get in touch for a free, personalised quote and book your assessment today!