HMO Fire Regulations – Getting Started with a Fire Risk Assessment
The first step will likely be a combination of speaking with your local council HMO team to discuss their fire safety protocols and getting a fire risk assessment carried out for the property so you get guidance on your specific property, layout and tenant profile.
This fire risk assessment will look at a host of measures from reducing the initial risks of a fire, to escaping in the event of a fire.
Fire protection is constantly being improved across all property types and HMOs are no different, especially as HMOs are classed as a higher-risk property type with multiple tenants, leading some investors to ask the question “are hmos are worth it“.
Understanding the risks (and costs) will help you answer the question and a fire risk assessment is great way to outline the current situation with the property.
It covers a range of requirements from fire-protected escape routes, to alarms, fire doors and windows, for primary or secondary escape depending on the property layout.
Even if your property isn’t in an article 4 area and doesn’t currently require a licence due to its size and number of tenant occupiers, it’s advised to get your property up to the same standards that licensing requires, this way you can provide not only the best property for your tenants but also future proof from any legislation changes.
Additional legislation to consider that will shape your fire risk assessment is: