Regulations regarding owner occcupier

[Allan1950]

I own a flat in a block of 21 units with three levels, and we have a managing agent overseeeing the cleaning and gardening and legal stuff. I have been informed that we need to install a fire alarm system in the common areas costing thousands of pounds. I have had some verbal advice that as the stairwells are 'sterile' just basic alarms would suffice. There are fire doors leading into every property and internal fire doors inside the properties as well. I keep getting quoted the Landlord & Tennant Act 1985. Surely as the flats are 90% owner occupiers this does not relate to us. Can anyone throw some light onto this please?

[thesaint]

Who is telling you that you need to install them?

[ram]

If you have had a fire and safety report done ( and you wont always
know if one has been done ) then managing agents always take the
SAFE route when presented with reports and Agents then say,
"Well it's all here in the report, it must be done."

Often reports state "It is recommended a hard wired fire / smoke
alarm be fitted", or "should be fitted" which is not the same
as "must" be fitted"

Often, smoke detectors in all common parts of flats will suffice.
Ask to see the fire and safety report ( will have to go to their
office to view ) then go from there.

R.a.M.

[Darren Baird]

I own a flat in a block of 21 units with three levels, and we have a managing agent overseeeing the cleaning and gardening and legal stuff. I have been informed that we need to install a fire alarm system in the common areas costing thousands of pounds. I have had some verbal advice that as the stairwells are 'sterile' just basic alarms would suffice. There are fire doors leading into every property and internal fire doors inside the properties as well. I keep getting quoted the Landlord & Tennant Act 1985. Surely as the flats are 90% owner occupiers this does not relate to us. Can anyone throw some light onto this please?

Usual questions from me if you have read other threads. Is it purpose built or a conversion? Who and WHY are telling you that you need a common fire alarm?

[Bel]

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Fire Safety Order covers the communal area of any residential flats. The fire department are usually responsible for enforcing the fire safety order. The freeholder who has control of the communal area will be responsible for doing a Fire Risk Assessment and seeing any recommendations are carried out and then charging the leaseholders (the flat owners) if they are different from the freeholder, for any works and any ongoing testing, assuming that the correct procedure of giving notice for these works is followed.

The Order applies to the communal area whether occupancy is leaseholder ("owner") or tenanted.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/f...firesafetylaw/