Fire Safety Regulations for Landlords: The 2026 London Compliance Guide
If you’re a landlord in England, you need to follow fire safety regulations for landlords to keep your property safe. The fire safety requirements for landlords depend on the type of property you rent out. This guide covers the rules that apply in England, including London, for 2026.
The main rules start with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire Safety Act 2021. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also apply. The Building Safety Act 2022, section 156 adds further duties. For smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, landlords must also follow Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, as amended.
Key takeaways
What Every Landlord Must Do
If you rent out a home in England, fire regs for rented property cover a few basic safety duties. Landlords fire safety regulations also cover alarms, gas and electrical checks, safe furnishings, and clear escape routes.
The Legal Framework: Which Laws Actually Apply
If you’re a landlord, the new fire safety regulations for landlords come from several laws. The fire safety rules landlords follow depend on the property and its shared areas. Fire and rescue authorities handle fire safety, and local housing authorities handle housing hazards.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the RRO)
The RRO is the main fire safety law for shared areas in multi-occupied residential buildings. If you are the Responsible Person, you need a fire risk assessment and a full record of it. The fire and rescue authority handles enforcement.
The Fire Safety Act 2021
The Fire Safety Act 2021 makes the RRO’s coverage clearer for multi-occupied residential buildings. It covers the building structure, external walls, cladding, balconies and flat entrance doors. The Act came into force on 16 May 2022.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add specific duties for certain residential buildings. The requirements depend on building height and cover fire doors, wayfinding signs, secure information boxes, evacuation plans and resident information. The regulations came into force on 23 January 2023.
Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022
Section 156 introduced new fire safety recording and information duties from 1 October 2023. If you are a responsible person, you need to record the full fire risk assessment and fire safety arrangements. You also need to provide your identity and contact details and cooperate with other responsible persons.
The Housing Act 2004 and the HHSRS
The Housing Act 2004 uses the HHSRS to check hazards in rented homes. Fire is a Category 1 hazard under this system. Your local housing authority, such as your borough council, handles this route separately from the RRO.
Who Is The “Responsible Person” and Is That You?
Landlord fire safety legislation does not make every landlord responsible for the whole building. It depends on the property and who looks after the shared areas. Here is how it works in each common situation. This information is general and is not legal advice.
The freeholder or managing agent normally handles fire safety in shared areas, such as hallways, stairs and entrances.
You are not the person responsible for the shared parts of the building. Check that the building has a fire risk assessment and pass any notices from the freeholder or managing agent to your tenants.
Your property has no shared areas. The RRO does not cover common parts in this case. Housing Act duties and fire safety rules still apply to the property.
The person who manages or controls the property handles HMO fire regulations in shared areas used by residents.
The person who controls the premises handles fire safety regulations for commercial property in the areas under their control.
Responsible Person: This means the person or organisation responsible for fire safety in the relevant part of the building.
Fire Safety By Property Type: The Decision Matrix
Private landlords fire regulations vary with the type of property, its layout and who uses it. This table gives a clear view of the main fire safety requirements for each property type.
| Property type | Applicable law | FRA for communal parts | Alarm benchmark | Fire doors | Emergency lighting | Key documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family dwelling | Housing Act and safety regulations | No shared areas, so no RRO FRA | BS 5839-6 Grade D / LD3 | Regulation 10 does not apply | Not required | Gas record, EICR, alarm records |
| Small HMO, 2 storeys or fewer | Housing Act and RRO for shared areas | Yes, for shared areas | LACORS: Grade D1 LD2 | FD30 doors for rooms opening onto escape routes | Based on the FRA | FRA, gas record, EICR, alarm and door records |
| Larger or bedsit HMO | Housing Act licensing rules and RRO | Yes | LACORS: Grade A / LD1 | FD30 or FD30S doors and a protected escape route | Required for relevant layouts | HMO licence, FRA, gas record, EICR, inspection logs |
| Converted flats | RRO and Housing Act | Yes, for shared areas | Based on the FRA and BS 5839-6 | Regulation 10 applies to buildings over 11m | Based on the FRA | Building FRA and service records |
| Purpose-built block | RRO, Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety Regulations 2022 | Yes, for shared areas and structure | Communal areas: BS 5839-1. Dwellings: BS 5839-6 | Regulation 10 duties, with extra duties for buildings over 11m | BS 5266-1:2025 | FRA, fire door and lighting records |
Note: LACORS Housing Fire Safety guidance from 2008 is guidance, not legislation. LACORS and BS 5839-6 provide alarm benchmarks. The FRA sets the final alarm requirements, and local HMO standards differ between boroughs.
Alarms and Equipment: What Landlords Need To Know
Landlords, knowing which alarms and equipment a rental property needs can feel confusing. The rules depend on the property, the rooms, and the fire risks involved. There is a common myth that fire extinguishers are not required in every rental property. The needed equipment depends on the property and fire risks. Here are the points landlords need to know.
Fire Doors and Escape Routes: Get The Frequencies Right
Fire door checks depend on the building and its height. Regulation 10 gives clear requirements for resident information across qualifying residential buildings. Take a look at this table below:
| Building | Communal fire doors | Flat entrance doors | Resident information |
|---|---|---|---|
| All multi-occupied residential buildings with common parts at any height | Based on the fire risk assessment and RRO duties | Based on the fire risk assessment and RRO duties | Required with no height threshold |
| Above 11 metres | Quarterly checks | Annual best endeavours checks, including self closers, with access attempts recorded | Required |
| At or below 11 metres | No fixed Regulation 10 frequency. RRO duties apply based on the fire risk assessment | No fixed Regulation 10 frequency. RRO duties apply based on the fire risk assessment | Required |
Escape Routes and Compartmentation
Clear escape routes give people a safe path out of the building. Protected routes and fire-resistant barriers also help slow the spread of fire and smoke.
The Fire Risk Assessment: The Document That Ties It Together
A fire risk assessment gives you a clear picture of fire safety in a building. It looks at the fire risks, the people who face them, and the steps in place to keep them safe. This forms part of the fire safety regulations for buildings.
Fire risk assessment
A fire risk assessment brings the key fire safety details together:
Which Methodology Applies
The standard depends on the type of building being assessed. BS 9792:2025 covers housing and residential fire risk assessments. PAS 79 1:2020 covers non-housing and commercial premises.
| Standard | Where it applies | Current position |
|---|---|---|
| BS 9792:2025 | Housing and residential fire risk assessments | Current |
| PAS 79 1:2020 | Non housing and commercial premises | Current |
| BS 9991:2024 | Residential building design | In effect from 30 November 2024 |
| BS 9999:2017 | Non residential building design | Current edition |
| PAS 79 2:2020 | Housing and residential fire risk assessments | Withdrawn and replaced by BS 9792:2025 from 31 August 2025 |
Evacuation and Vulnerable Residents: PEEPs and Residential PEEPs
New rules give residents who need extra help during a fire a clearer evacuation plan. The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 come into force on 6 April 2026.
Adjacent Compliance Landlords Conflate With Fire Safety
Fire safety is one of the important parts of landlord duties. Electrical checks, gas checks, emergency lighting, and alarm systems each have their own rules and dates.
Electrical safety (EICR)
An EICR is required at least every 5 years under the electrical safety standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020. From 1 November 2025, the maximum civil penalty is £40,000 for each breach. C1 and C2 issues need fixing within 28 days.
Gas safety
A Gas Safe-registered engineer carries out a gas safety check every year. Existing tenants receive the record within 28 days. New tenants receive it before moving in. Gas safety records need to stay for at least 2 years.
Renters' Rights Act 2025
This Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, and tenancy changes start on 1 May 2026. These changes connect with the Fire Safety Regulations 2025. Section 21 ends under the new rules, missing gas, EPC, or EICR certificates don't stop a Section 8 possession order.
Emergency Lighting
BS 5266-1:2025 came into effect on 31 October 2025 and replaced the 2016 edition. Light levels need checking at the start and at intervals of no more than 5 years. BS EN 50172:202 and BS EN 1838:2024 also apply.
Fire detection & Alarm systems (commercial/communal)
BS 5839 1:2025 came into effect on 30 April 2025 and replaced the 2017 edition. It covers fire detection and alarm systems in non-residential premises and shared areas. BS 5839-6 covers fire detection and alarm systems in homes.
London Enforcement in Practice
Fire safety enforcement in London involves the London Fire Brigade and local councils. They each have different duties, so the route taken can depend on the property.
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade enforces the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 across London. It uses a risk-based inspection plan and can issue alteration notices, enforcement notices, and prohibition notices. Serious breaches can also lead to prosecution.
Local councils
Local councils deal with housing duties under the Housing Act and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. They also handle HMO licensing, with enforcement levels varying between boroughs.
London Fire Brigade audit and notice figures help show these differences. Any figures need the source and publication date, with checks against the London Datastore and HMICFRS before publication.
Penalties and Enforcement: The Accurate Table
Different fire and property safety rules carry different penalties. This table gives the main duties, the enforcing body, and the maximum sanction.
| Regulation | Duty | Enforcing body | Maximum penalty or sanction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations | Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm requirements | Local housing authority | Up to £5,000 |
| EICR | Electrical safety checks in rented homes | Local authority | Up to £40,000 per breach from 1 November 2025 |
| Gas Safety Regulations | Gas safety checks and records | Health and Safety Executive | An unlimited fine and up to 6 months' imprisonment |
| Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order | Fire safety duties in relevant premises | Fire and rescue authority | Unlimited fine and/or up to 2 years' imprisonment. Banning orders are also possible |
| Housing Act HMO fire safety duties | Fire safety in licensed HMOs | Local housing authority | Unlimited fines, prohibition orders and banning orders |
Common Fire Safety Myths Landlords Believe
Here are some common fire safety ideas that need a quick correction.
Fire extinguisher rules apply to larger HMOs, not every rental home.
An EPC covers energy use, not fire safety.
The law does not require linked smoke alarms in every single let.
It covers the common parts and building structure, not the inside of each flat.
This applies to residential buildings above 11 metres.
Missing gas, EPC or EICR certificates do not stop a Section 8 possession order.
This rule changed on 1 October 2022.
How To Stay Compliant: A Practical Annual Rhythm
SR maintenance keep the main checks on track and keeps the right records in one place.
Fire Safety Regulations FAQ's
Buildings above 11 metres have specific fire door checks under Regulation 10.
- Communal fire doors need quarterly checks.
- Flat entrance doors need annual best endeavours checks.
- Access attempts need records.
- Buildings at or below 11 metres follow the RRO duty based on the fire risk assessment.
- Residents need fire door information in covered multi occupied residential buildings.
The penalty depends on the rule involved.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm breaches can reach £5,000.
- EICR breaches can reach £40,000 per breach from 1 November 2025.
- RRO offences can carry unlimited fines.
- RRO offences can carry up to two years' imprisonment.
- Housing Act offences can lead to unlimited fines and banning orders.
Sources & References
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/547: Legislation.gov.uk
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 fact sheet: Fire doors: GOV.UK
- Private renting: your landlord's safety responsibilities: GOV.UK
- Gas safety: landlords and letting agents: HSE
- Building Safety Act 2022 Section 156 guidance: GOV.UK
- Fire safety and private rented sector landlords: London Fire Brigade
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