HMO fire risk assessment for landlords
If you let an HMO or a building with flats, you are usually the Responsible Person for the common parts: corridors, stairs, entrance halls and shared kitchens. You must assess the fire risk there, write the findings down and give residents fire safety information.
Start an HMO fire risk assessment
What the law asks of HMO landlords
- Fire risk assessment of the common parts under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies to the common parts of buildings with two or more domestic premises in England and Wales.
- Record all the findings, your fire safety arrangements and the name (and organisation) of whoever carried out the assessment. Since 1 October 2023 this applies to every Responsible Person (Building Safety Act 2022, section 156).
- Resident information: how to report a fire, the evacuation strategy, the risks found, the measures in place and the Responsible Person’s name and UK address.
- Fire doors: since 23 January 2023, residents of every multi-occupied residential building in England must be told about the importance of fire doors. In buildings over 11 m, communal fire doors must be checked every three months and flat entrance doors yearly (Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022).
Checked against gov.uk and fire and rescue service guidance, October 2026. Inside individual flats and HMO bedrooms, housing law (the Housing Act 2004 and HMO licensing) also applies; your council may set extra conditions.
Typical HMO fire hazards
- Charging e-bikes and e-scooters in hallways or on escape routes
- Residents’ belongings, bikes and rubbish left in corridors and on stairs
- Shared kitchens with no fire door or detection
- Fire doors wedged open or with broken self-closers
- Bins stored against the building
FireRiskKit asks about each of these when you choose “HMO or block of flats”, and turns every gap into a dated action.
When to use a professional
Gov.uk says you can do the assessment yourself if you are able to, but should appoint a competent person if you lack the expertise or time. For large HMOs, buildings over 18 m or 7 storeys, or buildings with complex layouts, use a competent fire risk assessor.
Questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a small HMO?
Yes for the common parts, whatever the size. Shared houses where the whole house is let on one tenancy are treated differently by councils; check with your local housing team.
How often should an HMO fire risk assessment be reviewed?
Regularly and whenever something changes, such as new tenants with different needs, building work or a fire. Many landlords review it every year at the same time as the gas safety check.
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