Fire risk assessment & management company

[The Rookie]

Hi there everyone, I'm hoping for some much needed advice!

I am one of three directors of a management company which owns the freehold for the building I live in. It is the usual arrangement where the building is a number of flats and all the flat owners have an equal share in the management company. We have a company secretary who looks after share transfers and the accounts.

We used to contract out the day to day management to an agent but they turned increasingly useless so we got rid and I took on more responsibility (mug!). I am now finding myself increasingly out of my depth.

One of the flats is being sold and their solicitor has requested copies of the fire safety audit and risk assessments. Will the previous agent have these? Are they applicable to my situation? What other obligations do we have as directors which I don't know about?!

Seems unfair that I'm 'holding the can' because I'm bothering to help maintain the property we all live in.

Thanks very much in advance.

[quarterday]

The previous managing agent will only have these if they were ever instructed and obtained; the only way to find out is to ask them.

It is perfectly likely that there are no such assessments, and although a bit of a paperchase, you probably ought to commission someone (and a person who is "suitably qualified" a definition perhaps intentionally left a trifle vague to inspect and prepare them.

(although by the end of it all you will no doubt be reminded of that wonderful platitude, ignorance is bliss.....)

The sort of thing that is likely to be advised is to install emergency lighting and a fire alarm complying with British Standard in the communal staircase (and enter into an annual contract with an appropriate contractor for the servicing and testing thereof); to install smoke seals on the final exit doors of each flat onto the communal staircase; to obtain an electrical safety certificate for the landlord electrical supply, to have the paving at the side/front/rear attended to if presenting any obvious "trip hazards", to remove any item in the common parts, and ensure a management regime in place to ensure that this is checked frequently, to survey the common parts for the presence of asbestos and ensure an appropriate management regime......... but different blocks will result in different issues arising. Lifts present the 'elth and safety professional with a mouthwatering list of possible scenarios to write about. Whereas a lift engineers and lift insurance survey will concentrate on the equipment being sound in operation and in compliance with an array of legislation, the most recent of course being the DDA (lifts now have to have an audible warning ie we are now at the ground floor, so that blind people know where they are), the health and safety assessment will ask you to consider to what extent lift doors are fire and smoke proof.

Generally all of this stuff pushes up the service charge cost but there may very well be things that come to light which wouldnt have otherwise have been considered.

[Darren Baird]

The sort of thing that is likely to be advised is to install emergency lighting and a fire alarm complying with British Standard in the communal staircase (and enter into an annual contract with an appropriate contractor for the servicing and testing thereof); to install smoke seals on the final exit doors of each flat onto the communal staircase; to obtain an electrical safety certificate for the landlord electrical supply, to have the paving at the side/front/rear attended to if presenting any obvious "trip hazards", to remove any item in the common parts, and ensure a management regime in place to ensure that this is checked frequently, to survey the common parts for the presence of asbestos and ensure an appropriate management regime......... but different blocks will result in different issues arising.




The fire alarm would only (maybe) required in the common parts if the flats are not purpose built i.e. a conversion before 1991. Emergency lighting MAY be required if the premises are over 2 floors, no requirement for up to 2 floors but it depends on the natural light available to the staircase. All this is determined by the fire risk assessment if conducted properly!

[jenty2008]

Hi,

I am in a very similar situation to the member who started this thread. My problem, however, is that we have had a fire risk assessment carried out but we are concerned by the results. Some of the recommendations made seem to be a little over the top, particularly when we have talked to fire officers in the past and the recommendations have not been made before.

The comment in this thread regarding emergency lighting i.e. that emergency lighting MAY be required if the premises are over 2 floors, but there is no requirement for up to 2 floors, together with the comment that it also depends on the natural light available to the staircase relate very much to our concerns.

Our flats were purpose built in the 1970's. They are grouped in blocks of two or three. Some of the blocks are 2 storeys high (ground floor & first floor) and some are 3 storeys high (ground floor, first floor, second floor). The flats in the blocks are immediately off open (to the elements!) concrete staircases (no corridors just short landings). There is, however, a link roof at the top of each staircase which has an access hatch to access the (flat) roofs of the flats.

It has been stipulated in the fire risk assessment that emergency lighting should be fitted on all staircases. Given the comment that there is no requirement for emergency lighting for up to 2 floors adds to our fears that unnecessary recommendations have been made. There is also a lot of natural light on all staircases.

My reason for posting, therefore, is to ask if there are any documents to which we can refer where it states that there is no requirement for emergency lighting for up to 2 floors so that perhaps we can go back and challenge that recommendation? Perhaps, also, there are documents that will put us in a better position to judge other recommendations.

I hope someone will be able to point us in the right direction.

Thanks.