Good management of Fire Safety is an essential part of HMO management, it is important to ensure that fires are unlikely to occur; and that if they do occur, they are likely to be controlled or contained quickly, effectively, and safely; or that, if a fire does occur and grow, everyone in your property is able to escape to a place of total safety easily and quickly.
Landlords of HMO properties are legally obliged to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment, to instruct a qualified Fire Safety Officer to assess the property and complete a report proposing actions that will eliminate or limit the consequences should a fire occur. Russell Flanagan, Compliance Director, is an accredited Fire Risk Assessor of both commercial and domestic properties including HMO, he can attend your property, produce the report, commission, and manage all recommendations and liaise with the Local Authority to ensure your property is compliant.
A Fire Risk Assessment is compulsory with your licence application, and best practise recommends a Fire Risk Assessment should be reviewed and updated on an annual basis to ensure that your fire safety procedures, fire prevention measures, and fire precautions (plans, systems, and equipment) are regularly reviewed, updated, and working properly. All applicants for HMO licenses will be asked to make a declaration that,
It is an offence not to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment in a HMO property, and the responsible person (Landlord, as detailed on the licence) may be prosecuted for non-compliance.