What are my legal responsibilities for fire safety in a rented property?

If you’re a landlord in the UK, keeping your tenants safe from fire isn’t just good practice, it’s the law. Landlords have a legal responsibility to provide effective fire detection and warning systems to protect their tenants.

If you’re a landlord or planning on becoming one, this blog breaks down your legal responsibilities for fire safety in your rented property.

Smoke alarms

Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, all private and social landlords in England must:

• Install at least one smoke alarm on every storey of a property where there is a room used as living accommodation.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance such as a coal or wood fire. Gas cookers are excluded.
• Repair or replace any smoke or carbon monoxide alarms if the tenant reports that they are not working.

These rules apply at the start of each new tenancy and must be maintained throughout.

HMOs (Houses in multiple occupation)

If you’re the landlord of an HMO (e.g. a student let or shared accommodation), you have more extensive fire safety duties under the Housing Act 2004 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. You must:

• Install a full fire detection and alarm system appropriate for the property’s layout and occupancy.
• Provide fire doors, extinguishers, and clear escape routes.
• Carry out and document a fire risk assessment, which should be regularly reviewed and updated.
• Install emergency lighting in communal areas like corridors, stairs, kitchens, and living areas in HMOs with five or more occupants.
• Some smaller HMOs (3-4 occupants) may require emergency lighting based on the local authority’s licensing conditions.

Failing to comply with these duties can result in fines and prohibition notices, and in the worst-case scenario, tenants being harmed in a fire.

Ongoing fire safety maintenance

While your tenants are responsible for testing alarms regularly (ideally once a week), as the landlord, you are legally obliged to:

• Ensure all alarms are in working order at the start of every new tenancy.
• Respond promptly to any reports of faults or battery issues.
• Replace units every 10 years or in line with the manufacturer’s guidance.
• Regularly test emergency lighting and fire detection systems.
• Keep records of installations and inspections, especially for larger or HMO properties.

Do I need to use a professional installer?

While domestic alarms can be installed by competent individuals, for HMOs or more complex systems, it’s advisable, and often necessary, to use a certified fire alarm installer.

Using a professional installer will ensure you have:

• The correct alarm type for the building
• Proper siting and interlinking of units
• Full compliance with British Standards

At Tamar Security, our fire specialists can guide you through the entire process — from risk assessment and system design to installation, maintenance, and ongoing support.

Fire safety in rented properties is a legal and moral obligation. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or managing multiple properties, ensuring your fire detection systems are compliant and effective is essential.

If you need to install a fire safety system or have any queries regarding your fire safety obligations as a landlord, please get in touch. We are BAFE SP203-1, Design, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance accredited, have over 40 years in the industry, and are members of the Fire Protection Association (FPA).

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01392 368830

Tamar Security Ltd
Ulysses Park
Heron Road
Exeter
Devon
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