Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

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Fire Safety Information - If you rent your home

Statistics show that people who live in rented accommodation have a greater chance of having a fire. One of the problems is that rented accommodation may not always be as well maintained. If you can't get your landlord to make your house safe, do it yourself - it could save your life.

Your landlord's obligations

Landlords don't always have a legal responsibility to fit a smoke alarm, so fitting a smoke alarm in your own living area is the simplest step you can take to reduce the risk of being caught in a fire. They are inexpensive to buy, easy to install and you can take them with you when you move.

Under the Housing Act 1985, landlords 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.

Electrical, gas & furniture safety

By law, your landlord must:

make sure that all the gas appliances they provide are maintained in good order and that a Corgi-registered plumber carries out a safety check each year.

maintain all electrical installations (fixed wiring and so on) 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.

Your council's Environmental Health Office will be able to give you more details about your landlord's obligations and can force your landlord to provide adequate fire precautions.

For further information on your landlord's responsibilities please visit the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website.

Questions to ask your landlord

Ask your landlord the following questions:

has the electrical wiring in the property been checked lately?

are sockets, switches, light fittings and so on checked every year?

is there a regular maintenance programme for gas heaters and appliances?

are the chimneys and flues cleaned and checked regularly?

is the house registered with the local authority as being lived in by more than one household (that is, as being 'multiple occupation') ?

You may not be able to force your landlord to do the necessary checks but, if you have any concerns, contact your local citizens advice bureau or the Environmental Health Officer for further advice.

Student accommodation

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.