Houses in Multiple Occupation fire safety guidance

Category A - bedsit accommodation (1 or 2 storey)

Ensure that the automatic fire detection and emergency lighting systems are wired into the landlord's electrical circuit and not through any pay or key-operated systems.

If there is a habitable basement or attic in addition to the 2 storeys the property would be classed as a 3 storey HMO.

If you are unsure about anything in this document, you should contact the Private Sector Housing team for further advice and guidance.

Protected escape routes

A 30 minute protected escape route is required, therefore:

Walls, ceilings and floors within the staircase enclosure or hallways that form part of the protected route to be 30 minute fire resistant.
30 minute fire resistant doors and frames required (FD30s) to all rooms leading onto the staircase enclosure or hallways that form part of the protected route (with the exception of bathrooms and W/C's). Doors to be provided with surface mounted self-closing devices, intumescent strips and smoke seals
30 minute fire resistant doors and frames required (FD30s) to all risk rooms in which detection is provided, i.e. lounge and kitchen. Doors to be provided with surface mounted self-closing devices, intumescent strips and smoke seals.
Where locks or latches are fitted to doors including the final exit doors they must be openable by the occupiers from the inside without the use of a removable key (i.e. thumbturn).
Ceilings to rooms where cooking facilities are provided to be 30 minute fire resistant.
Stairs to be underdrawn to provide 30 minute fire resistance.
Under-stairs cupboards and cupboards located on the escape route to have 30 minute fire resistant walls, ceilings and lining, 30 minute fire resistant doors and frames (FD30) including intumescent strips.
The doors to be fitted with an effective lock and kept locked shut when not in use.
Provide and fix to the outside face of the door a suitable notice at eye level stating "THIS DOOR TO BE KEPT LOCKED SHUT WHEN NOT IN USE". (In accordance with the requirements of BS 5499: Part 1).
If detection is provided within the under-stairs cupboard or to cupboards located upon the escape route then a 30 minute fire resistant door and frame (FD30s) including intumescent strips and smoke seals will be required.
Alternatively the cupboard can be permanently sealed shut and taken out of use.
Where walls and ceilings are required to achieve 30 minutes fire resistance, the presence of holes or gaps around any service pipes or wires that pass through will mean the wall or ceiling fails to meet this requirement.

Fire detection and alarm system - mixed system

Grade D, LD2 system (see appendix B)

interlinked mains wired smoke alarms with integral battery back-up located throughout the protected escape route at each floor level
interlinked mains wired smoke alarms with integral battery back-up located in any cellar

Where cooking facilities are provided within a bedsit:

interlinked mains wired heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in that bedsit; and
additional non-interlinked mains wired smoke alarm with integral battery back-up located in that bedsit.

Where cooking facilities are provided within a shared kitchen, and not within any of the bedsits:

interlinked mains wired smoke alarm with integral battery back-up located in each bedsit; and
interlinked mains wired heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in each shared kitchen.

Note: Where a HMO contains a mix of units with and without cooking facilities within the bedsits an appropriate mix of the two systems will be required.

Lighting of protected escape routes

Conventional artificial lighting is required. Emergency escape lighting required only if the route is long or complex, or where there is no effective borrowed light. An example of effective borrowed light would be street lighting that illuminates the staircase.

Fire-fighting equipment

Fire blanket to be provided in each room with cooking facilities
Simple multi-purpose fire extinguisher in the hallways where fire risk assessment shows a requirement. (Where extinguishers are provided they must be regularly checked and training given to all residents for their use).

Fire safety signs

Signage only required if the protected escape route is long or complex.

Surface finishes and floor coverings

In the early stages of a fire, the safety of a building's occupants can be affected by the properties of surface linings and the finishes of walls, ceilings and soffits.

Floor coverings throughout the protected route (i.e. stairways, hallways, landings and lobbies) of all categories of HMO should conform to low radius of fire spread (up to 35mm) when tested in accordance with the latest edition of BS 4790 or the European equivalent.