Fire safety regulations for landlords: smoke alarms, doors and HMOs
Smoke alarm, carbon monoxide, fire door and Responsible Person duties for UK landlords under the 2022 fire safety regulations.
Alarms in every let property
Since October 2022, every UK rental must have at least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers). Alarms must be tested at the start of every new tenancy and repaired or replaced when reported faulty.
Fire doors in HMOs and blocks
In high-rise residential blocks (above 11 metres), the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require quarterly checks of communal fire doors and annual checks of flat entrance fire doors. The Responsible Person - usually the freeholder or managing agent - must keep records and act on any defects.
In licensable HMOs, every escape-route door is typically a fire door (FD30 minimum) with intumescent strips and self-closers; the licence conditions set the inspection frequency, often 6-monthly.
Risk assessment
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021) requires a written fire risk assessment for the common parts of any building containing two or more dwellings. Single-let houses do not need a formal FRA but you should still document the risks.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a smoke alarm in every bedroom?+
No - one per storey is the minimum. Many landlords install per-bedroom alarms anyway because it's cheap insurance.
Do I need a CO alarm if there's no gas?+
Only if there's a fixed combustion appliance - for example a wood-burning stove, oil boiler or solid-fuel fire. Pure electric properties don't require one.
Who is the Responsible Person?+
For a single dwelling, the landlord. For a block of flats, usually the freeholder or managing agent for the common parts.