NEW FIRE REGULATIONS FOR LANDLORDS & TENANTS
RENTED PROPERTIES:
In-line with recent changes to The Domestic Fire Alarm Regulations [BS 5839 Part 6 – 2019] all rental properties now come under a higher detection level requirement than ever before.
It is not retrospective, so property owners don’t have to upgrade their system to the latest regulations.
UNLESS:
- They would like to make sure the property is up to the latest fire regulations and is as safe as it can be for their tenants.
- If the property was majorly altered or rewired, for example, where notification to the local Council would be required. It would then have to be upgraded to the relevant grade.
Holiday Lets [properties with short-term paying guests]:
These would be a Grade D1 system, Category LD1 (j)
Rental Properties:
These would be a Grade D1 system, Category LD2(d)
Below is an Extract from the British Standard [BS5839 Part 6] 2019:
As you can see there is an Annex J & D, which is defined below.
J) Detectors may normally be omitted from roof voids unless there are specific significant fire hazards such as gas boilers or electrical equipment for photovoltaic systems.
d) Heat detectors should be installed in every kitchen and a smoke detector should be installed in the principal habitable room. Where more than one room might be used as the principal habitable room, a smoke detector should be installed in each of these rooms.
DETAIL ON GRADE & CATEGORY:
GRADE D1: A system of one or more mains powered detectors, each with a tamper-proof standby supply consisting of a battery or batteries.
GRADE D2: A system of one or more mains powered detectors, each with an integral standby supply consisting of a user-replaceable battery or batteries.
LD1
High Protection
All areas where a fire could start, e.g.:
- Hallways
- Landings
- Living Room
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Airing cupboards/ Meter cupboards
LD2
Medium Protection
Escape routes and high-risk areas, e.g.
- Hallways
- Landings
- Kitchen
- Living Room
Carbon Monoxide – British Standard BS EN 50292:2013:
Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer, you can’t see it, smell it or taste it.
This is why having Carbon Monoxide alarms installed throughout a property is so important.
The British Standard BS EN 50292:2013 offers recommendations on the installation and maintenance of Carbon Monoxide alarms.
The standard states that a Carbon Monoxide alarm should be fitted in:
- Rooms that have any fuel burning appliances – such as an open fire, gas cooker or boiler.
- Rooms where people spend the most time – such as a living room.
- Rooms where people sleep.
- Any room that has a flue running through it.
This means that a Carbon Monoxide leak can be detected from all the potential sources and heard throughout the property.
That number of CO alarms are generally not installed, so if you have a limited number of alarms then you should look to cover the areas that are at highest risk including:
- Rooms with a flueless or open-flued appliances such as an open fire, gas cooker or portable heater – these would leak carbon monoxide?directly into the room producing the greatest risk.
- Rooms where the occupants spend the most time – this is to ensure that they are protected to any carbon monoxide exposure in these areas and hear the alarm as soon as possible.
- This can be best achieved by linking to the Smoke/Heat detection system.
