fire alarm test cert, is it needed?

[trevmai]

A bit long but please read

A letting company is about to rent out my mums property. Before they can do this they have asked for smoke alarms in every room and hallways and fire doors to be fitted to every room - Done, A corgi gas cert - Done, A periodic inspection report - Done and a test cert for the fire alarm system. About a month ago an electrician fitted smoke alarms around the house, powering each smoke alarm off of the nearest lighting point, he said he could not do a periodic test as he was not a member of one of the 5 bodies, so he gave a minor works cert. So another electrician was called in to do a periodic test. The letting company then asked for a test cert for the fire alarms system. The electrician who did the periodic test said that they don't need this, as smoke alarms taken off the lighting circuit. But the letting company say they need this to rent the property. What should she do?

 

[Chri5]

I take it the place is a multiple occupancy dwelling (or houses with multiple occupation- such as bedsits or student shared accomodation.

HMO's do require comprehensive fire detection. Houses or flats let to one person don't (although fire detection is prudent in any house).

From what I've read on the net- the smoke detection must be linked (is yours??) and the Council LBC need to inspect and raise a certificate

Landlord's Duties
Landlords have a duty of care to ensure that their actions or failures to take action do not cause their tenants harm or injury. They also have legal duties to see that tenants are living in safe conditions. All HMOs must be fit for human habitation and fit for the number of individuals or households living in them. This law is known as the HMO Fitness Standard, and every local Council should have detailed requirements under this standard. These include requirements for "adequate means of escape from fire" and "adequate other fire precautions" in HMO. The Council's requirements depend on the category of house in multiple occupation and you are advised to contact the Private Sector Housing Service for more detailed information.

Requirements for fire safety
These can be wide-ranging, and they will include some or all of the following:

Protected routes
A safe escape from fire does not necessarily mean an outside escape route. A protected route is one that is safe from smoke and fire and can involve going downstairs or along corridors and passages. All walls, floors and partitions must give good protection and all doors leading onto the route should be fire doors.

Fire doors
These must resist fire and prevent the passage of smoke usually for thirty minutes to give you time to escape. They should fit tightly and have a self closing device. Fire doors are very heavy - newer ones can be identified by a colour code on the edge of the door near the hinges. Ordinary doors with thin timber panels or cheap modern flush panel doors made from plywood and hardboard can fail in an actual fire within five minutes.

Fire resisting materials
Each part of the building, for instance walls, floors, ceilings and doors, must resist fire usually for thirty minutes in a protected route. Bricks, blocks, concrete and plaster are all good fire resisting materials. Beware of cheap building methods like partitions of hardboard and timber, or single sheets of plasterboard with no top coat or plaster.

Fire alarm systems
These are vital in HMOs and can save countless lives and injuries. The alarm system can range from linked smoke protection to a fully customer system. Alarms should be placed all along the protected route and have a loud and distinctive sound. Check with the Private Sector Housing Service whether the system in the HMO meets these standards, and if there is no system, what kind is required.

Fire extinguishers and fire blankets
These can stop a small fire becoming a major disaster. The number and locations of these depends on the size of the building, and how it is managed.

Distance of travel
There are minimum standards for the distance you have to travel to get out of the building and be safe from a fire. Check with the Private Sector Housing Service, what the minimum distance should be from your accommodation.