Prioritising fire safety to protect your property and tenants
As a landlord, you have a legal obligation to provide safe accommodation for your tenants
As a landlord, you have a legal obligation to provide safe accommodation for your tenants, and fire safety plays a big part.
A fire in your property, no matter how big or small, can cause significant damage and fire damage claims are among the most expensive that insurers receive – our average fire claim is over £22,000, as our infographic highlights.
As a landlord, it’s crucial that you have an appropriate insurance policy that will cover you in case your property is damaged or even completely destroyed by fire.
While taking appropriate fire safety measures in your rental property is hugely important, you also have to make sure your tenants know what they should do – both to help prevent fire breaking out in the first place and in case of an emergency.
This should be covered when you or the agent check them into the property and we also recommend including a fire safety sheet in the property information pack, detailing everything they need to know, such as: how often to test smoke alarms, the main escape routes from the property and the importance of not overloading electrical sockets.
Be aware that if you breach fire safety laws, you could be fined up to £30,000 by your local council, prosecuted in court with an unlimited fine and you may even face jail time for the most serious violations, particularly if they result in the injury or death of a tenant.
In December 2021, a landlord in London was ordered to pay more than £20,000 for fire safety breaches. One of his tenants raised concerns with the council and when inspectors visited the property, they found that fire doors had been removed on the ground floor, there was no emergency lighting and no fire alarm.
The tenants were evacuated immediately, and the landlord was later charged with six offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. He was fined £500 for each offence and ordered to pay £17,335 in costs.
Here, we cover your legal obligations around fire safety and also the things that are considered good practice for landlords when it comes to keeping your tenants safe. The consequences of fire can be devastating, so it’s well worth going over and above the minimum legal requirements. That will give you peace of mind that, should the worst happen, you did all that could reasonably be expected of you.
And here’s a handy summary in case you want to jump to any section that’s of particular interest:
Fire risk assessment
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Access to escape routes
Fire-safe furnishings
Fire doors
Electrical safety
Gas safety
Fire extinguishers
Ban smoking
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
Building Safety Act
Note: The information below relates to single-let properties in England and Wales. The fire safety rules for Houses in Multiple Occupation are more stringent.
In Scotland, basic fire safety guidance for assessing risks and removing potential fire hazards is much the same as in England & Wales, although there are some differences – mainly in relation to the location of fire alarms. Full fire safety information is available on the Scottish Government website.
