Fire Safety Regulations

[Guest Nic]

Good evening,

I have just inherited a Victorian house, which has been converted into two self contained flats (converted circa 1996 and signed off by buildings control). The top floor flat has been sold (Leasehold) and the ground floor flat is occupied by a sitting tenant (it is not a HMO).  I now own the freehold of the house and the ground floor flat. There is no management company.

 I would be very grateful for your advice on the following:-

- there is a small entrance hallway in common to both flats. I understand that I need to undertake a fire risk assessment for this as per the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005.  Looking at guidance on line it is not clear to me how often this assessment needs to be carried out and how it should be recorded (and whether copies need to  be given to the lessee/ tenant).  Grateful also for guidance on measures that would be sensible for such a small space e.g. Keeping access  clear; whether it is necessary for a smoke alarm to be fitted in the entrance hallway etc.

- as regards the tenanted ground floor property, there is battery smoke alarm fitted and there are no appliances that would require a carbon monoxide alarm to be fitted. Is this sufficient or does best practice require more alarms to be fitted?

- whether there are any further fire safety regulations/ measures that need to be complied with.

 

Thank  you in advance for your help. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tom Sutton]

There is no frequency laid down for reviewing the fire risk assessment and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 article 9 states, any such assessment must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date and particularly if, there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates including when the premises, special, technical and organisational measures, or organisation of the work undergo significant changes, extensions, or conversions, and where changes to an assessment are required as a result of any such review, the responsible person must make them.

Consequently everybody has their own idea on the frequency but twelve months is a common period.

Under the same article it says, as soon as practicable after the assessment is made or reviewed, the responsible person must record the information prescribed by paragraph (7) where he employs five or more employees, and I suspect you do not employ anybody therefore you do not need to record the FRA however sometimes it is useful to have a written document to hand to those who may pester you for one but there is no legal requirement.

In your premises the appropriate guidance is  FIRE SAFETY Guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing and if you check out page 46 you will get a summary of what you need to do which can be clarified by studying the rest of the guide.