Tenants have asked if my sofas are fireproof

[Guest Sharonmad]

Hi there

I am a landlord and my tenants are asking if the sofa is fire safe. I have asked them to look for a label, but they say they can't find one. I am having the sofa cleaned, so will look for the lable myself, but if I cant find one, how can i find out if the sofa is fire safe?

I bought the sofa in approx. 2003, so its about 8 years old. It was bought from a small one off shop and is a designer Italian sofa for about £2000.

Many Thanks

Sharon

[Tom Sutton]

There are two types of label, display label and a permanent label. The display label should have been prominently attached to the sofa when it was purchased, and usually goes missing very soon after. The permanent label should have been permanently attached and usually out of sight in my case under the cushions on one settee and attached to the framework underneath the settee on another.

The permanent label is the most important and gives all the information to establish if the item is in accordance with furniture regulations. If they are missing then it will be very difficult to check if the furniture is legal, you could try the retailer who sold the sofa but they are only required to keep the records for 5 years.

Check out http://www.fira.co.u...ber-2011pdf.pdf for the FIRA guide and http://www.firesafe....81989-and-1993/ for more information.

[Guest GeorgeW]

Hi Sharon

I am a landlord too, and I found this site very useful http://www.primeloca...ing-a-landlord/

If there are no labels on the furniture it may be very difficult to prove that in the event of a fire that this sofa was legal, after all you should be wanting to satisfy yourself as well as your tenants that the sofa is safe. In the event of the sofa going up in flames you could face very heavy fines or even a jail sentence.

[Guest RozWalk]

I am planning to rent out my house furnished. The sofas have labels advising they are compliant with the 1988 regulations. Does this meet the expected standard for a landlord renting out a property?

Kind regards

[Tom Sutton]

The permanent label is the most important and gives all the information to establish if the item is in accordance with furniture regulations. If they are missing then it will be very difficult to check if the furniture is legal, you could try the retailer who sold the sofa but they are only required to keep the records for 5 years.

Check out http://www.fira.co.u...ber-2011pdf.pdf for the FIRA guide and http://www.firesafe....81989-and-1993/ for more information.

It sound that you have the necessary labels but check out the FIRA guide especially the section on permanent labels just to be certain.

[Guest KeithWilt]

is there legislation in place that landlords must comply with when leaving soft furnishings in rental property

[Tom Sutton]

Yes there is, it is The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010).

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/furniture-and-furnishings-fire-safety-regulations-19881989-and-1993/ for more information and the guide at http://www.fira.co.uk/document/fira-flammability-guide-october-2011pdf.pdf also worth a look at http://www.primelocation.com/guides/letting/guide-to-being-a-landlord/.

[Guest AnneHatt]

Hello, I am an interior designer. One of my clients has asked me to provide curtains for a rental property and I wondered if there was a requirement for the fabric would need to be treated for FR? And would there be a requirement for FR treated lining? Thank you in advance for your help

[Tom Sutton]

I am assuming it’s a self-contained flat and the common areas will have had a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which would have decided if fire resistant curtains/drapes are required in the common areas. The furnished self-contained flat is a domestic premises therefore exempt from the above legislation and it would be up to the landlord to decide if fire resistant curtains are required. If FR curtains are required then both the curtain and lining would need to be FR.

Check out Contract Flammability Guide for more information.

[Guest Guest Tralala]

I have a sofa and footstool and the furniture base/frames and cushions have the fire safety labels on them. I need to get replacement loose covers made and wondered if there is a legal requirement for the covers to have fire safety labels. The furniture is within a 4 bedroom self contained flat.

[Tom Sutton]

Check out Fire safety of furniture and furnishings in the home A Guide to the UK Regulations page 30 bottom paragraph left column.