Fire advice for converted flats

[Denmark]

Hello

We live in a converted flat in a four storey Victorian semi detached house.

We are leaseholders and our landlord has decided we need emergency lighting and category D smoke alarms ( we currently have individual smoke alarms and two in the communal hall).

There are 5 flats and 4 are owner occupier, only one is rented.

Could you tell me what sort of system is necessary as we are told the building does not meet regulations. And can you recommend the most cost effective way. Or are we meeting regulations due to the owner occupier ratio?

Many thanks

[Tom Sutton]

Fire safety in the common areas of flats or Maisonettes is controlled by Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) and this order lays down the legal requirements.

The individual flats are domestic premises and exempt from the FSO but the common areas (staircase/hall) are subject to the FSO. Therefore fire safety in the flats are the responsibility of the tenants but the common areas is the responsibility of the landlord who under the FSO has to conduct a fire risk assessment and act on the results.

I would suggest the landlord has used the HOUSING - FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing document, which would recommend emergency lighting and category D smoke alarms if not a higher standard.

[Guest Guest]

Thank you for your advice

We might try to get the wireless alarms installed for ease of wiring, though not strictly category D there will all link up. Together with emergency lighting and separate alarms in our flats do you think it will be sufficient?

[Safelincs]

Hi

Wireless smoke alarms come in two potentially suitable versions

-mains powered smoke alarms with RF signal (power supply for each unit comes usually from the nearest light fittings while the signal cables between the smoke alarms are replaced by wireless signals). These type of systems are fully Grade D compliant

-Sealed, battery operated smoke alarms with ten year batteries. To my knowledge there is only one system on the market at the moment 'Ei600TYCRF Series'. This system is usually permitted for a Grade D requirement, however, I would recommend that you always ask your council or, in the case of new-builds, your building inspector first before installing this system. That said, I have not heard of any council not approving this solution as a retrofit for landlords.

Harry

[Tom Sutton]

As you have said, separate alarms in the flats as they are private dwellings and wireless alarms installed in the common areas, including emergency lighting, which I assume is in accordance with the fire risk assessment conducted by the landlord, should be acceptable. You also need to consider the audibility of the fire alarm in the common areas when you are in your flats,watching the television or sleeping, it should be loud enough to alert you.

This is only part of the fire risk assessment I am assuming the rest is satisfactory.