Fire Safety in London Rental Properties: 2025 Landlord Guide

The Legal Framework in 2025

Fire safety obligations for London rental properties sit across multiple pieces of legislation: the Housing Act 2004 (Housing Health and Safety Rating System), the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (for HMOs and buildings with common parts), and local authority licensing conditions for HMOs. For multi-occupied buildings, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced additional duty holder requirements that are progressively coming into force. Landlords managing multiple properties must stay current with an evolving regulatory landscape.

Smoke Alarms: Current Requirements

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, in force from October 2022, require landlords to install at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation. In practice, this means the hallway of each floor in a multi-storey property and in the main living area of single-storey flats. Alarms must be tested and confirmed working on the first day of each tenancy. Mains-wired, interlinked alarms are required for HMOs under most licensing conditions and strongly recommended for all properties — battery alarms are legally acceptable for standard lets but are less reliable over time.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

The 2022 regulations extended the CO alarm requirement beyond rooms with solid fuel appliances (the previous position) to require a CO alarm in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance — this includes rooms with gas boilers, gas fires, and oil-fired appliances. CO alarms are not required for gas cookers, though fitting one in a kitchen with a gas hob is considered good practice. Alarms must be repaired or replaced in response to a tenant report of a faulty alarm within a reasonable timeframe.

Fire Doors

Fire doors are required in HMOs on all habitable room doors that open onto an escape route. For a typical London HMO — a converted terrace where bedrooms open onto a shared hallway — this means FD30S-rated doors (30 minutes fire resistance with intumescent strips and smoke seals) on all bedroom and kitchen doors. Fire doors must be self-closing, properly fitted, and kept clear of obstructions. Propping open fire doors is a licensing offence. Inspect door closers, intumescent strips, and frame condition at every routine inspection and after any tenant reports of door damage.

Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting is required in HMOs of three or more storeys, and in some two-storey HMOs under borough-specific licensing conditions. Emergency lighting illuminates escape routes if the mains power fails, allowing occupants to evacuate safely. LED emergency bulkhead fittings with maintained or non-maintained modes are the standard installation. Test emergency lighting monthly (brief function test) and annually (full discharge test to battery duration) and keep a written log of test results.

Fire Risk Assessment

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment for any HMO and for the common parts of any multi-unit residential building. For buildings with multiple flats, the responsible person (usually the freeholder or managing agent) must commission a fire risk assessment covering the common areas — entrance hall, staircase, corridors, plant rooms, and any roof or basement space. The assessment must be reviewed annually and after any material change to the building or its occupation.

Responsibilities for Landlords of Single Lets

For single-household lets, fire safety obligations are less extensive but still material. Smoke alarms, CO alarms, and annual gas safety checks are the core requirements. The HHSRS assessment under the Housing Act 2004 allows councils to take enforcement action where fire hazards are identified — inadequate means of escape, lack of smoke alarms, or combustible material on escape routes are all inspectable hazards. Keep records of alarm testing, gas safety, and any fire safety improvements carried out at the property.

Practical Steps for 2025

Audit your portfolio against current requirements before the autumn. Fit mains-wired interlinked alarms where battery units are currently installed. Confirm CO alarms are present in all rooms with fixed combustion appliances — not just rooms with solid fuel burners. For HMOs, commission a fire risk assessment if one is not current. Prestige Engineers carries out fire alarm installation, fire door inspection, and fire risk assessment support for London landlords across all property types.