Fire Risk Assessment for Landlords

If you are a landlord in the UK, you may have legal responsibilities under fire safety legislation — even if you only let out a single property.

Where the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies, the landlord is often the Responsible Person and must ensure a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place. This typically applies where you control common parts such as stairwells, corridors or entrance halls.

The law has been strengthened in recent years through the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022, particularly for residential buildings containing flats.

Failure to comply can result in enforcement action, unlimited fines, or criminal prosecution.

This guide explains when a fire risk assessment is required for landlords, what the law expects, and how to remain compliant.

If you need a compliant fire risk assessment anywhere in the UK, contact us for a free, no-obligation quotation.

Do Landlords Need a Fire Risk Assessment?

In most cases, yes.

However, whether a fire risk assessment is required depends on the type of property you rent out and the level of control you have over common areas.

Single-Let Houses (Single Family Occupation)

If you rent out a single private house to one family:

• The Fire Safety Order usually does not apply inside the dwelling itself.
• You still have duties under the Housing Act 2004.
• The local authority may assess fire risk using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

You must still provide:

• Safe means of escape
• Adequate smoke alarms (required under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022)
• Safe electrical and gas installations

HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation)

If your property is an HMO:

• The Fire Safety Order applies to common parts
• The local authority licensing scheme will impose fire safety conditions
• You are almost always the Responsible Person

This means you must:

• Carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
• Maintain escape routes
• Install and maintain fire alarms
• Maintain fire doors where required
• Keep records (especially if you have 5+ occupants)

HMOs are one of the most enforced property types in the UK.

Blocks of Flats

For purpose-built blocks or converted buildings:

The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that the Fire Safety Order applies to:

• Building structure and external walls
• Flat entrance doors
• Common parts

Landlords, freeholders, or managing agents are typically the Responsible Person for common areas.

In higher-risk residential buildings, duties are further strengthened under the Building Safety Act 2022.

What Is a Landlord’s Legal Duty?

Under Article 8 and Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order, the Responsible Person must take general fire precautions and carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment.

In practical terms, this means the landlord must identify fire hazards, assess the likelihood and consequences of fire, implement appropriate protective measures, and ensure that fire safety systems are properly maintained.

Where a landlord employs five or more persons in connection with the undertaking, or where the premises are licensed (such as many HMOs), the significant findings of the fire risk assessment must be recorded.

The assessment must be reviewed regularly and updated where necessary.

For many landlords, this means instructing a competent, qualified fire risk assessor.

What Happens If a Landlord Does Not Comply?

Enforcement action may include:

• Alterations Notice
• Enforcement Notice
• Prohibition Notice
• Unlimited fines
• Criminal prosecution

Recent prosecutions have resulted in custodial sentences for serious breaches.

Local Fire and Rescue Authorities actively inspect HMOs and residential blocks.

In addition to enforcement action, insurers may refuse to honour claims if a required fire risk assessment was not in place or was clearly inadequate. This can expose landlords to substantial financial loss following a serious incident.

What Type of Fire Risk Assessment Do Landlords Need?

The type depends on the building:

How Often Must a Landlord Review a Fire Risk Assessment?

There is no fixed time period in law.

However, you must review:

• If there is a material alteration
• After a fire
• If occupancy changes
• If there are significant building changes
• If deficiencies are identified

Best practice is annual review for most residential blocks and HMOs.

Do Buy-to-Let Landlords Need One?

If you rent out:

• A self-contained flat within a larger building → Yes (for common parts)
• A single dwelling house → Not under the Fire Safety Order, but you still have housing safety duties

Many buy-to-let landlords incorrectly assume the law does not apply. It often does — particularly in converted buildings.

Landlord Fire Risk Assessment – Quick Compliance Summary

In most residential rental scenarios, a landlord must arrange a fire risk assessment if they control any shared or communal areas. This commonly applies to HMOs, converted buildings containing flats, and purpose-built blocks.

If you are the freeholder, managing agent or resident management company, you will usually be the Responsible Person for the common parts.

Single private dwellings let to one household do not normally require a fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order, but housing legislation still imposes fire safety obligations.

When in doubt, it is advisable to seek professional advice rather than assume the legislation does not apply.

How Much Does a Fire Risk Assessment for Landlords Cost?

The cost of a fire risk assessment depends on the size, layout and complexity of the building. For smaller HMOs or low-risk residential blocks, assessments are typically more straightforward. Larger or higher-risk buildings require more detailed inspection and reporting.

Factors affecting cost include:

• Number of storeys
• Number of flats or occupants
• Complexity of escape routes
• Presence of external wall systems
• Existing fire safety provisions

Landlords should be cautious of unusually low-cost assessments, as enforcement cases frequently reveal generic or copied reports that do not meet the “suitable and sufficient” standard required by law.

For an accurate quotation based on your property, contact us for a free assessment proposal.

We provide clear, fixed quotations with no hidden charges.

Why Professional Assessment Matters

Many landlord prosecutions arise because:

• The assessment was generic or copied
• Fire doors were missing or defective
• Escape routes were compromised
• Alarms were inadequate for the risk

A compliant fire risk assessment protects:

• Your tenants
• Your investment
• Your legal position

Contact Fire Risk Assessment Network

We provide:

• Fully compliant fire risk assessments across the UK
• Experienced, qualified fire safety professionals
• Clear, prioritised action plans
• Fast turnaround times
• Competitive pricing

If you are a landlord and need a compliant fire risk assessment, contact us today for a free, no-obligation quotation.

Conclusion

Landlords in the UK have clear legal responsibilities regarding fire safety, and in many cases this includes arranging a compliant fire risk assessment for landlords where the Fire Safety Order applies.

Whether you manage a single HMO or a national portfolio, compliance is not optional. Understanding when the Fire Safety Order applies — and ensuring you have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment — is essential to protecting tenants and avoiding enforcement action.

At Fire Risk Assessment Network, we work with landlords, managing agents and housing providers across the UK to ensure full compliance with current legislation.

If you are unsure whether your property requires a fire risk assessment, speak to our team today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do All Landlords Need a Fire Risk Assessment?

Not all landlords require a fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order. The requirement usually applies where there are common parts, such as in HMOs or blocks of flats. If you rent out a single private dwelling to one household with no shared areas, the Fire Safety Order does not normally apply inside the property itself. However, landlords still have duties under housing legislation to ensure fire safety standards are met.

Does a Buy-to-Let Landlord Need a Fire Risk Assessment?

A buy-to-let landlord may need a fire risk assessment if the property forms part of a building with shared communal areas. For example, if you own a flat within a block, the freeholder or managing agent must arrange an assessment for the common parts. If you are the freeholder of a converted building containing flats, you will usually be responsible for ensuring a compliant fire risk assessment is completed.

Who Is the Responsible Person in a Rental Property?

The Responsible Person is the individual or organisation with control over the premises or common areas. In rental properties, this is often the landlord, freeholder, resident management company, or managing agent. The Responsible Person is legally accountable for identifying fire risks, implementing appropriate safety measures, and ensuring ongoing compliance.

Can a Landlord Carry Out Their Own Fire Risk Assessment?

A landlord can carry out their own fire risk assessment if they are competent to do so. Competence means having sufficient training, knowledge and experience to properly identify hazards and assess risk. In practice, many landlords appoint a qualified fire risk assessor to ensure the assessment is suitable and sufficient and to reduce liability exposure.

How Often Should a Landlord Review a Fire Risk Assessment?

There is no fixed statutory interval for reviewing a fire risk assessment. However, it must be reviewed if there are material alterations, changes in occupancy, significant changes to fire safety measures, or following a fire. As best practice, many residential buildings and HMOs review their assessment annually to ensure ongoing compliance.

What Happens If a Landlord Does Not Have a Fire Risk Assessment?

If a landlord is required to have a fire risk assessment and fails to do so, the local Fire and Rescue Authority may issue enforcement action. This can include improvement notices, prohibition notices, unlimited fines, and in serious cases, prosecution. Courts have imposed custodial sentences where serious fire safety failures have put lives at risk.