This section is intended to provide guidance to landlords, managing agents and owners of certain types of domestic properties on best practice and legal responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Housing Act 2004.
Premises types included are flats, houses in multiple occupation, social housing, rented single dwellings, or any place where people reside that is not a single private domestic dwelling.
Legislation requires landlords to carry out fire risk assessments of their properties. This process will identify any fire hazards that exist, who is at risk, and what needs to be done to remove or reduce that risk. Click here for a downloadable flyer on keeping escape routes clear.
These responsibilities extend to premises that have no landlord – e.g. flats with common areas where flat owners are jointly regarded as ‘responsible persons’ and need to ensure legislative requirements are met and maintained as a co-operative.
The Fire Safety Order creates a legal entity known as the ‘responsible person’. If you are the owner, manager, agent or you own a flat within a block, you will need to check if you are the responsible person.
If a person has a contractual or tenancy obligation for the maintenance, repair or safety of a premises, they can be regarded as a person with control of the premises and therefore acquire responsibility relating to the extent of that control. It should, however, be understood that the responsible person has an absolute duty to comply with the Fire Safety Order.
The responsible person must not wait to be directed to act by the enforcing authority. As with health & safety legislation, ignorance of the law is no excuse for non-compliance.
Other things to be aware of include:
- Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) Housing Fire Safety Guide for certain types of existing housing
- Guidance on fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats
Fire Door Installers
The importance of a properly installed and maintained fire door can never be stressed enough. Fire doors provide lifesaving passive protection from the effects of both heat and smoke.
When a fire door is beyond repair, you will need to replace the door. The following are examples of how this fire service recommends the door is replaced:
- The installation of a manufacturer certified doorset (Door, frame and fittings) fire rated to the correct specification and certified by the manufacturer. The installation should be completed by a third party accredited competent installer who would provide certification for the completed works.
This option is recommended by Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service as being best practice.
- The installation of a manufacturer certified door, using component parts rated to the correct specification and approved for use with the door in accordance with the manufactures instructions. The installation should be completed by a third party accredited competent installer who would provide certification for the completed works.
When a door or doorset is suspected as being defective, or no documentation exists for its installation, further assurance the fire door is effective will be required. When this occurs, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service may request the door or doors are assessed by a third-party accredited assessor, certified in the inspection of fire doors.
Third-party certification means that the fire door manufacturer or installer is audited by an independent third party that checks that the fire door / fire doorset is tested appropriately. This process ensures fire doors are produced and installed to a consistent standard making them effective at saving lives.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service cannot provide contact details for approved contractors. Advice on finding third party accredited contractors can be found using the following links which are sources known to the service at the time of writing this guidance note.