Private landlords should be aware of their fire safety obligations

As The Department of Communities and Local Government teams up with Aico to deliver a Fire Kills campaign to private landlords, Belvoir Sheffield, the leading letting agent in Sheffield, is warning that many landlords may be unaware of what is expected of them legally.

Rick Flay, Director at Belvoir Sheffield, who offer a wide range of property to rent in Sheffield, said: “Under The Fire and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and the Fire and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993, as a landlord you have a Duty of Care to your tenant in respect of any furniture you leave in the property. Smoke alarms should also be fitted at the property.

“It is quite frightening that as the number of DIY and reluctant landlords coming to the market increases, so does the number of landlords who are not fully informed of their legal responsibility when it comes to fire safety, which could inevitably be putting their tenants lives at risk.”

According to Government fire statistics, 36 percent of battery powered alarms fail to operate in a fire – almost half because the battery was missing or dead. Installing mains powered alarms, interconnected together so they can be heard throughout the property, negates this problem and allows landlords to meet their Duty of Care.

The Fire and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 and the Fire and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1993, are UK law and are designed to ensure that upholstery components and composites used for furniture supplied in the UK meet specified ignition resistance levels and are suitably labeled. There are six main elements contained within the Regulations, which landlords must adhere to.

Rick, whose letting agency on Campo Lane in Sheffield, specialises in providing flats to let in Sheffield added: “If as a landlord, you break the law with regards to fire safety, you could be prosecuted by the environmental health department of your local council.

“Property management really is a difficult job. Many landlords see it as an easy opportunity to make a quick ‘buck’ but the process really does take a lot of time and effort, especially when it comes to staying on the right side of the law. The only way to avoid such situations is to seek professional advice or to use a professional lettings agent such as Belvoir Sheffield.”

Belvoir Lettings Sheffield is the One Stop Specialists for Lettings including Property Management, Tenant Find, Investment and Wealth Management Advice, Fit-outs and Renovations, Furniture Packs and Investment Property Insurances and Mortgages.

For more information on successfully letting out your property to students, visit belvoirlettings.com.