This applies to England only
These regulations are due to come into force on 23 January 2023. The regulations largely cover high rise buildings, some relating to those over 11 metres and some relating to those over 18 metres high or at least seven storey’s with communal areas. However, sections 9 & 10 relate to all buildings that have two or more domestic dwellings with communal areas.
If a building comprises two maisonettes with their own front doors and no communal area, these regulations will not apply.
Who is liable to provide the information?
A responsible person, which would normally be the freeholder of the building or a block manager.
Sometimes if a landlord has converted a property into two separate dwellings and instructs a letting agent to manage both properties the letting agent could be, by default, seen as a responsible person.
Section 9 – information to residents
A responsible person must display fire safety instructions prominently in communal areas. The instructions must include:
- how to evacuate a building,
- how to report a fire to fire and rescue, or
- how to inform other residents of what they must do in case of a fire.
Section 10 – fire doors
The responsible person must also provide information relating to fire doors in the building whether or not they are within the individual dwelling or the communal parts. The information must include that:
- all fire doors to be kept closed when not in use,
- residents, occupiers or their guests should not tamper with any self-closing doors
- residents should report any fault or damages to the fire doors to the responsible person.
In summary
In section 9 the responsible person will need to ensure the fire safety instructions are displayed and a copy given to all residents within 12 months of the 23 January 2023 and to all new residents as soon as practicably possible after they move in.
In Section 10 they will need to ensure information relating to fire doors is provided to any new residents within 12 months of the 23 January 2023 and to all new residents as soon as practicably possible after they move in.
If the safety instructions or the information relating to the fire doors were to change then, the responsible person must update the displayed instructions in the common areas as well as provide an updated copy to all residents.
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