Fire safety in individual purpose built flats

Introduction

This guide focuses on the landlords who rent out individual flats in purpose-built blocks owned by others and not where the landlord owns the whole block himself/herself. It also applies to converted blocks of flats so long as the conversion was carried out in accordance with the 1991 or later Building Regulations and still complies with these regulations. In practice this means conversions which took place after 1 June 1992 where the plans for the conversion were approved after that date under the 1991 or later Building Regulations. If the flat is in a block converted under the 1985 Building Regulations or earlier then you should instead refer to the LACORS Guidance document "Housing - Fire Safety - Guidance on Fire Safety Provisions for certain types of existing housing".

This guidance is also only relevant for individual flats in these blocks where the flat is in single occupancy i.e. it is not a flat in multiple occupation. For flats in multiple occupation you need to refer to the LACORS Guidance, as the LGA Guidance specifically excludes flats in multiple occupation from its scope. Additional rules apply to flats in multiple occupation which are covered elsewhere in the NRLA's Fire Safety Guidance.

In the case of individual flats in purpose built blocks (or post 1991 conversions) the guidance on landlords responsibilities for fire safety is not presented in one place so we have compiled various parts of the LGA Guidance to try to give an overall picture of the responsibilities of the landlord who rents out an individual flat in a block (where the landlord does not own the block), as well as linking these responsibilities with obligations under other relevant regulations.