HMO Fire Safety
As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to be aware of fire safety regulations and follow them.
Three or more storeys
“Grade A” Automated Fire Detection System (with control panel)
You will be asked to provide a fire inspection certificate, dated within the previous 6 months. Automatic fire detection systems should be inspected and serviced at least every 6 months in line with BS 5839-6.
Inspection and servicing of a Grade A System must be carried out by a competent person, which will normally be a specialist fire alarm servicing engineer and should be certified by a third party such as UKAS.
Two storey or less
“Grade D” Alarm systems
On HMO licence applications and renewals, you will be asked to provide a fire inspection certificate issued by a competent person who will normally be a specialist fire alarm servicing engineer. This is to demonstrate that at the time of issuing the licence, the fire detection system worked correctly.
For the duration of the licence, you must provide evidence that the alarms have been checked yearly.
To grant a licence we must be satisfied that:
- the property is suitable for occupation by the number of people on the application.
- the property has adequate facilities for the number of people on the application.
- the property management is satisfactory.
- the proposed licence holder should be a fit and proper person - to determine this, we will look at whether the applicant has:
- any convictions relating to violence, sex offences, fraud or drugs.
- any offences relating to housing legislation.
- any offences relating to discrimination.