FRA in Communal Areas

[Guest Milo]

I own a flat in a Victorian house converted into 3 flats which share a communal hallway , and a basement flat which has its own, separate entrance .

2 flats are owner occupied ( including mine) and 2 are let out to tenants . We all share the freehold, and  all the owners (4) are directors of the management company we set up to manage the freehold.

I understood that we need a FRA for communal areas . Can we nominate the 4 directors to be ' responsible people' on the FRA , to have shared responsibility, or us there a limit to the number of 'responsible people' who can be nominated?   Also, does the owner of the basement flat have a legal responsibility for the obligations of the FRA and costs involved in  implementing them, or would they be exempt as they do not share the communal area? 

 

[Tom Sutton]

You are all Responsible Persons and are required to jointly to implement The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which includes conducting a FRA. You do not have to nominate RP the FSO does this (art 3) and there is more to the order than just conducting a FRA.

The owner of the basement flat does have a legal responsibility but calculating the costs of implementing the FSO would be up to the management company.

[Guest Milo]

Thank you for your this information Tom, very helpful! 

[Tom Sutton]

No prob.