Mixed Grade Fire Safety system advice HMO

[Guest ActiveP]

Hi

I am looking to refurbish a two storey house to a HMO and let the rooms individually containing a mixture of shared units and one self contained unit.

2 Rooms will have access and use to a shared kitchen.(Bedroom A and B)
1 Room will have its own kitchen facilities. and is also part of the same building as the shared kitchen with access via the lobby. (Bedroom C)

I am planning to have the following setup to comply with the relevant fire safety legislation.

Units without kitchen facilities. (A & B)
LD2 Interlinked smoke alarms in each bedroom unit, lounge, shared kitchen & basement
Interlinked – Heat alarms in each bedsit and shared kitchen. Mains powered inc battery backup

Units with kitchen facilities. ©
LD2 Non-interlinked - Grade D smoke alarm with integral battery backup
Interlinked – Heat alarms in each bedroom unit and shared kitchen. Mains powered inc battery backup

1) Is this the correct fire detection setup for this type of property? What are your throughts.

2) If there is a fire in the shared kitchen, will the smoke alarm be heard in each of the bedroom units?

3) if the heat alarm was to go off in bedroom B will C be alerted?

4) If a tenant is cooking in bedroom C and the heat alarm sounds are bedrooms A and B alerted?

thanks for reading

[Tom Sutton]

It looks like you have used “HOUSING – FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing” page 44 for your guidance, which is what I would suggest but you need to include the full package. There is no mention of the passive fire protection, fire detectors in the escape route, etc.

Another issue you need to consider is the enforcing authority, the fire and rescue service is responsible for The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 but they only deal with the common parts. The Local Housing Department deals with HMO’s and they deal with the whole of the premises and they are the enforcing authority you need to satisfy. However I am sure they will accept the above guidance the same as the FRS but the LHD are the people you should get advice from.