Landlords Responsibilities
If you are a ‘Responsible Person’ you have a leal duty to keep your property safe from fire through the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
It’s your responsibility to ensure that there is a comprehensive Fire Risk Assessment that details the fire safety provisions that are in the property. This is usually carried out by a professional Fire Risk Assessor and might identify additional measures that should be carried out as appropriate.
Included in the Fire Risk Assessment should be a Fire Safety Emergency Plan so that Residents know what actions are needed in the event of a Fire.
The Fire Safety Emergency Plan must make sure Residents and others are safe, that a Fire can be detected and Residents are warned if they need to evacuate.
The structural protection provided within the building must protect residents or allow them to safely escape from Fire or smoke using the corridors and staircases if necessary.
The following are just a few import Fire Safety requirements that Landlord must consider;
Fire doors
Fire doors stop the spread of heat and smoke in the event of a Fire. All flat front doors and doors on corridors and staircases must be ‘self closing’ Fire doors.
Poor adjustment of self-closing devices or inappropriate choice of closer type can cause Fire doors to close very quickly and bang, disturbing residents. To stop this, residents wedge Fire doors open to stop the door fully closing and banging. This can weaken the door closing device and stop the door from properly closing, making the door less effective at stopping the spread of fire.
- ensure ‘self closing’ Fire doors are fitted on all flats, corridors and staircases
- make sure doors don’t bang shut, to avoid them being wedged open
- regularly check door closing devices haven’t been tampered with or become defective
Without this Fire protection Residents won’t be able to evacuate when necessary due to smoke logging and high temperatures in escape routes.
Fire protection and ‘Fire stopping’ in service risers; between flats; and between flats and means of escape routes
Fire protection and Fire stopping to service risers, and between individual flats, corridors and the means of escape routes prevents the rapid spread of Fire throughout blocks of flats and is essential. This is often breached when utility companies (gas, electricity, TV cabling etc) run new services between flats, or between common parts and flats. These breaches are often not resealed correctly with fire resisting material/stopping to maintain the fire protection.
Storage and security
Tenants storing belongings in communal areas can pose a real risk to safety. Items can accidentally be set alight, or be set alight deliberately. In the event of Fire items in hall ways and on stairs can stop people escaping, and stop fire-fighters doing their job.
- corridors, stairs and stairwells are clear
- electrical and gas riser cupboards aren’t used to store anything
To read more Fire Safety information for Landlord’s visit London Fire Brigade’s website.
London Fire Risk Assessments advice to clients: Landlord’s should do their homework and ensure that if they are taking on the role of a ‘Responsible Persons’ they know the law.
A Fire Risk Assessment must be in place for the premise and one of the best places to find a competent Fire Risk Assessor is on the Institution of Fire Engineers website. London Fire Risk Assessments are on the IFE’s Risk Assessors register and will be happy to provide you with a free quote to carry out a full Fire Safety Inspection/Audit and provide you with a full Fire Risk Assessment, which will include the following ‘parts’.
These are all the ‘parts’ that will satisfy the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Landlords don’t put your Residents at risk act now and help keep your premise safe from Fire. Call 01689 890879 or click here
