Changes to fire safety regulations – what do I need to know?
Subtle but important changes have been made to rules around fire safety for furniture and furnishings impacting landlords.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 apply to:
- Armchairs, three-piece suites, sofas, sofa beds, futons and other convertible furniture.
- Beds, bases and headboards, mattresses, divans and pillows.
- Garden furniture which could be used indoors and
- Loose, stretch and fitted covers for furniture, scatter cushions, seat pads and pillows.
The changes, which were introduced on October 30th have:
- Removed certain baby and young children’s products from the scope of the regulations
- Removed the requirement for manufacturers to affix a display label to new products
- Extended the time frame that a local authority has to institute legal proceedings for non-compliance from six months up to 12 months.
What does this mean in practice?
Firstly, let’s take a look at labelling.
Most furniture or furnishings covered by this legislation usually has two types of labels affixed to it, a ‘permanent’ label and a ‘display’ label, also sometimes referred to as a ‘swing’ label.
A permanent label is a durable label attached to the furniture required under s.11 of the original 1988 regulations. The latest changes do not affect the permanent label will remain on any existing or newly manufactured products.
What has changed are the rules around the display labels, which hang, or swing, down from the item. While these offered an easier way to check the fire safety compliance level of a given product, they are now no longer required.
Baby and children’s furniture
The changes to remove some baby and young children’s furniture from the scope of fire regulations might seem unusual at first glance.
However, the changes have been made as the risk of youngsters being exposed to chemicals used to fireproof furniture and furnishings has now been deemed to be greater than the risk of fire when it comes to young children and babies.
The (extensive) list of products excluded from the regulations includes:
- Baby and children’s mattresses smaller than 170cm x 75cm.
- Modular mattresses intended for use by babies and children, if the largest component is of the 170cm x 75cm measurements.
- Upholstery designed to be used with baby furniture, for example, pram sacks, car seat inserts, and products advertised as ‘snuzzlers’ which are designed to be used with baby seating.
- Play pens
- Children’s car seats
- Play mats
- Baby changing mats
- Prams, pushchairs, buggies and strollers
- Cots, cribs and cradles, including carry cots, bassinets, Moses baskets, travel cots and bedside sleepers.
- Cot bumpers
- Upholstered bed side barriers intended to be used to prevent a child falling out of bed.
- Baby rockers and bouncers – This includes products sold as ‘reclined cradles’.
- Baby nests
- Baby’s highchairs and lowchairs
- Chair-mounted and table-mounted children’s booster seats
- Baby walkers
It is worth noting that, as there was no transition period ahead of the new rules coming in, the Government has confirmed such products, containing labels stating compliance with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, can still be sold indefinitely, as long as that labelling is an accurate representation of compliance.
This means that is still legal to provide such furnishings in your rental properties, but that they will be phased out over time and – once this happens – you will still be compliant with the fire safety rules.
Extension of time limits
The last major change is quite straightforward – local authorities will have 12 months instead of six months to begin legal proceedings in cases of non-compliance – giving them more time when it comes to pursing those flouting the rules.
More information
For more information on your fire safety obligations click here.
Information on the NRLA’s Fire Safety for Landlords and Foundation Fire Safety course can be found on our training pages.
