Landlord and HMO Fire Risk Assessment (UK)

If you let property with any shared or common areas, a fire risk assessment is a legal requirement, and for houses in multiple occupation the duties go further. This guide explains what landlords must do and what the assessment covers.

When a landlord needs one

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the common parts of blocks of flats and to houses in multiple occupation, and makes the responsible person carry out and keep a fire risk assessment. For a single let house the Order does not usually apply to the let itself, but landlords still have duties under housing law to keep the property safe.

HMOs go further

Houses in multiple occupation carry stricter expectations because more unrelated people share escape routes. Licensable HMOs have conditions covering alarms, fire doors, escape routes and extinguishers, and the fire risk assessment is central to showing they are met.

What it must cover

The assessment follows the five steps: identify fire hazards and sources of ignition and fuel, identify people at risk including sleeping residents and anyone vulnerable, evaluate and reduce the risk, record the findings and an action plan, and review it regularly. Escape routes, fire doors, alarms, emergency lighting and signage all feature.

The Fire Safety Act and building safety

Recent changes have tightened duties on blocks of flats, including the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors. If you manage a block, make sure the assessment reflects the current requirements.

Record it

Record the assessment and act on the findings. Our fire risk assessment template follows the five steps in the expected form, and our fire risk assessment guide explains the method.