Living in a rented home
One of the problems is that rented
accommodation may not always be well maintained.
Even if you think it’s your landlord’s responsibility to take
the necessary fire safety precautions, don’t leave it to them. If
you can’t get your landlord to make your house safe, do it yourself
– it could save your life.
Landlords don’t always have a legal responsibility to fit a
smoke alarm, but under the 1985 Housing Act they must make sure
there are adequate escape routes. Depending on the size of the
property, they may also have to fit smoke alarms and provide fire
extinguishers.
By law, your landlord must:
- make sure that all the gas appliances they provide are
maintained in good order and that a Gas Safe registered
engineer carries out a safety check each year.
- maintain all electrical installations (eg fixed wiring) and any
electrical appliances they provide (cookers, kettles and so on) and
make sure they are safe to use.
- make sure any furniture and furnishings they provide meet the
fire resistance regulations.
- Contact your Citizens’ Advice Bureau or an environmental health
officer at your local council for further advice.
- Parents may wish to check the safety of student accommodation.
If you have concerns about the standard of the accommodation you
should contact the university for advice.
- If you live in sheltered accommodation or a residential home,
ask your landlord or warden to explain the safety plans for the
premises and make sure you know your safest exit route, or
ask
your carer to contact our Vulnerable People team.