Owning the property does not remove the responsibility. Fire risk assessments for private landlords, portfolio owners and family property companies, carried out by Kevin or Jon in person.
Landlords ask us this more than anything else. The honest answer is that it depends on the building, and a good assessor should be able to tell you before quoting.
Some rented homes need a recorded assessment by law. Others do not, but still carry fire safety duties that councils enforce.
This page sets out where the line falls and what we do on site.
The Fire Safety Order 2005 does not apply inside a single private dwelling, so a house or self-contained flat let to one household does not need an assessment under the Order. It does apply wherever there are common parts or non-domestic areas. That includes a house converted into flats, a block where the landlord controls the common parts, an HMO with shared space, a flat above a shop with a shared entrance, holiday lets, and commercial premises where the landlord controls shared areas. In buildings with two or more homes the assessment must also cover the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors.
Even where no assessment is required, landlords in England must meet the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules, with a smoke alarm on every storey, a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker, and alarms checked at the start of each tenancy. Licensed HMOs meet equivalent requirements through their licence. Electrical installations must be inspected at least every five years, gas appliances checked annually, and supplied furniture must meet fire resistance rules. Councils can also act on fire hazards in any rented home under the Housing Act 2004.
Converted houses show the widest gap between paperwork and reality, because the fire separation often depends on work nobody has seen for decades. We look at the staircase enclosure, flat entrance doors, detection in the common parts, meter cupboards and risers, basements and roof voids, the final exit and how residents are told what to do. We state whether stay put or simultaneous evacuation applies and why.
Original panelled doors or modern replacements with no fire rating and no closer.
Glazing, cupboards or hatches opening onto the only stair with no fire resistance.
Electrical intake under the stairs with combustible lining and storage.
Standalone alarms where the building needs a linked system, or the reverse.
Bikes, prams and post building up on the only way out.
Deadlocks and added security that need a key from inside.
No separation between flats and shared voids above or below.
Shared entrance with no separation from the commercial unit below.
Electrical, gas and alarm records that cannot be found when asked for.
You receive a signed PDF naming the assessor and their qualifications, with a management summary and photographs tied to each finding.
Actions are set out in four priority bands so you know what needs doing this month and what can be planned into routine maintenance. We do not sell remedial works, so the recommendations are not influenced by what happens next.
Easy to work with throughout the process. Everything was explained verbally and in writing, with clear, easy instructions to follow.
Tell us about the property and we confirm scope and availability within one working hour. Kevin or Jon on site, signed report within 24 hours of invoice payment.
If you are unsure whether your property needs an assessment, speak to Kevin or Jon before you book. You will get a straight answer.
Not under the Fire Safety Order, which does not apply inside a single private dwelling. You must still meet the alarm, electrical and gas safety rules, and the council can act on serious fire hazards.
Normally the freeholder, the residents’ management company or their agent, because they control the common parts. You are usually responsible for your own flat entrance door under the lease.
An agent who has taken on control of fire safety matters under their contract can hold duties alongside the owner. The owner does not lose their own duty by appointing an agent.
Yes. Since 1 October 2023 every assessment under the Order must be recorded in full, along with the identity of the person who carried it out.
If there is a shared entrance or staircase, the Order applies to it. The separation between the shop and the flat is usually the most important finding.
Yes. Holiday lets and serviced accommodation are treated as paying guest accommodation, and the Order applies even to a single cottage.
There is no fixed interval. Older, converted or higher-risk buildings suit an annual review. We recommend a date in the report and explain the reasoning.
We give budget guidance where we can, based on what we see on site and our construction background. We do not quote for or carry out the works.
Tell us about your site. We'll respond within one working hour during business hours.
