Fire Safety for Landlords

There’s a lot of talk out there about fire safety for landlords…and rightly so!  It is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure their property complies with fire safety legislation.  Broadly speaking, they must put these measures in place before a tenant moves in:

1)      Ensure that the standard fire safety regulations (such as clear escape routes etc) are in met

2)      Make sure furniture in the property is fire safe

3)      Provide fire alarms and extinguishers (if the property is a large House in Multiple Occupation)

Unfortunately, some landlords don’t keep to these laws and this leads to some potentially dangerous situations.  There have been cases recently where landlords have been fined up to £10,000 for not taking the necessary steps to ensure fire safety.

The question that we raise is: are landlords aware of what they need to do?  If not, they need to be!  So spread the word with these 8 tips on how to make a start:

1)      Commit yourself to learning what you need to do to ensure fire safety compliance

2)      Carry out a fire risk assessment on every new house you buy

3)      Fit smoke detectors to all properties (and carbon monoxide alarms if required)

4)      Consider banning smoking in your properties

5)      Fit self-closing doors on all rooms to slow down a fire if one does occur

6)      Ensure all electrical appliances in the property are tested regularly

7)      Be sure to make exit routes very clear

8)      Enlist the help of a professional fire safety advisor (whether a private professional or your local fire brigade)