Fire Safety Failures: Landlords Beware!
- Sarah Ruivivar
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Buckle up, because we’re diving into a fiery topic—literally.
A recent report has revealed some eye-popping stats about fire safety in properties like HMOs and converted flats. Spoiler alert: it’s not looking good.
Direct365’s study, using Home Office Fire Statistics, shines a light on the fire safety audit landscape in England. With over 2.5 million premises known to fire authorities, only a mere 52,026 audits were conducted in 2024/25. Yikes!
The failure rates are alarming. Houses converted to flats top the list with a whopping 59% failure rate. HMOs and hotels aren’t far behind, each with a 55% failure rate. Even hospitals, which you’d expect to be fortresses of safety, have a 50% failure rate. It’s a fire safety lottery, and not the kind you’d want to win.
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The disparity in inspections is stark. Care homes are the teacher’s pet, with 20% receiving audits, while only 1.2% of converted flats got a look-in. HMOs fare even worse, with less than 1% of the UK’s 94,000 known HMOs inspected. Talk about playing with fire!
Karl Bantleman from Direct365 warns that landlords can’t afford to wait decades for an audit. To keep your properties shipshape and fire-safe, ensure emergency exits are clear, fire doors aren’t wedged open, and Fire Risk Assessments are reviewed annually.
So, dear landlords, it’s time to take the heat seriously. Don’t let your property be a statistic—prioritise fire safety and keep those flames at bay!
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