The Guide to Compliance with Fire Safety Law for Those Responsible for Safety in Small Blocks of Flats covers best practice for regular risk assessments, how to ensure safe escape routes are in place, the maintenance of fire doors and alarm systems, and includes a checklist and action plan template. 

Property professionals should be ready to discuss these issues with landlords and tenants. Keeping up to date with fire safety standards is not only a legal duty but also a crucial factor in protecting lives and property.

What agents should do

Those with responsibility for a building under fire safety legislation must:

• carry out a fire risk assessment and document their findings
• ensure that adequate fire safety precautions are taken in the common parts
• maintain those fire safety precautions (keeping records of such maintenance is good practice)
• engage with residents to ensure that they are aware of what to do in the event of fire and that they understand the fire safety measures within the building
• identify and co-operate with any other person who has duties under fire safety legislation to co-ordinate the fire safety measures for which each of you is responsible, as well as provide relevant fire safety information to any subsequent person with responsibilities
• keep fire risk assessment and fire safety precautions under regular review
• keep a record of completed fire risk assessment (this should include the name of the person and/or authorised organisation that did this) and fire safety arrangements

All managing agents must read the guide and familiarise themselves with the recommendations before working with landlords and other stakeholders to review fire safety measures for their portfolios.

Informing clients and tenants about the importance of these measures and any planned improvements is imperative, too.

For landlords or tenants requiring advice on this please contact Devon Rose offices.