New Fire Safety Responsibilities for Responsible Persons / Duty Holders

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 came into force on 23rd January 2023. The Regulations apply to buildings in England only. The Regulations require responsible persons (building owners or building managers) of multi-occupied residential buildings (having two or more sets of domestic premises with shared areas) to take specific actions depending on the height of the building. These are:

Provision of information to occupiers in all multi-occupied residential buildings irrespective:

• Fire safety instructions on how to report a fire and what to do when a fire breaks out.
• Fire door information about the importance of fire doors in fire safety.

Fire door checks in multi-occupied residential buildings of 11 metres and above:

• Quarterly inspections of fire doors in common parts.
• Annual checks of fire doors to individual flat entrances.

Requirements in multi-occupied high-rise residential buildings (at least 18m or 7 storeys in height):

• Provide the local Fire Service with up-to-date electronic floor plans and store a hard copy and single page plan identifying key firefighting equipment in a secure Information Box on site. 
• Provide the local Fire Service with the design and materials of the external wall system, together with details of any risks and mitigating steps taken.
• Monthly checks on lifts and other key firefighting equipment. Report defects to the Fire Service if they cannot be fixed within 24 hours.
• Provide a secure Information Box in the building detailing the responsible persons contact details and hard copies of the building floor plans.
• Install wayfinding signage that is visible in low light conditions. The signage in stairwells must show the relevant flat and floor numbers.

Residential Landlord Documents for England

Various letters are now available to assist with the provision of fire safety and fire door information to tenants and the management of fire doors. The residential tenancy agreements and licences have been updated with additional tenant covenants in respect of fire safety. The latest estate agency terms and conditions templates take account of the extra work involved in managing fire door inspections on behalf of landlords.