Domestic Fire Alarms

[sandys]

A friend is renting out her flat to local authority tenants. The local authority has told her to install mains smoke and fire alarms in a 2 bed flat or face enforcement action. The regs require a mains powererd smoke detector and I have no problem fitting that but a fire alarm? I have seen something about a mains fire alarm if the kitchen door is not a fully fire rated one and she doesn't have this. Can anyone throw any light on this? If a fire alarm is required can I sign it off or do you need to be specially approved?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[telectrix]

they probably require mains interlinked smoke alarms, with a heat rise detector in the kitchen. sounds like a confusion between the words fire and heat rise. i can't see the requirement for anything else in a domestic situation.

 

[tazz]

If this is a one level flat, they will be asking for circulation area protection. As your friend is the owner/andlord it now becomes his responsibility, so local authority will only make a statement of you must fit, with no details or fire officer.
So mains interlinked smoke in hallway (circulation area) and suggest linked to Heat detectors in Kitchen.
Sign off the system as grade D cat LD2.

 

[BrianDB9]

You could ask to see their risk assessment so that you can design the right system, what if the incoming tenant is an alcoholic, hoarder, with a candle fetish !

 

[john999uk]

Ask the Council to which regs are they referring when they threaten enforcement action. Might be worth speaking to Local Fire Brigade as I find they are very helpful.
I guess she already has a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen. I believe these may have to be inspected once a year.

 

[sandys]

Thanks. For clarification the local authority I referred to is the one providing the tenant (Harringey) and giving the tenant housing benefit to pay my friend. Not her geographical one (Hounslow).

I will suggest she asks them if they actually mean a fire alarm or a linked heat detector as you suggest.

 

[tazz]

You all seem to be jumping on the band waggon of HMO requirements.....This is a straight rent ...not a HMO with seperate flats. Therfore it is a domestic dwelling. There is no risk assements nor a requirement to fit a smoke detector. This is a local aurthority requirement when sub letting property, along with gas cert and electrical certs.

 

[BrianDB9]

I work for a local authority housing provider, we fit Pt6 interlinked systems as standard on all full rewires including a heat detector in the kitchen, and a base level of optical smoke detection, however as we don't know the individual circumstances that might be obvious to the installer in say an occupied property the onus is on the installer to ensure the design is sufficient eg if they see a need to increase the spec they ask for it and it would be authorised. eg deaf tenant.

When you see a photo of a key ring stuck in a lock where the tenant has died trying frantically to get out of the locked door of his smoke logged flat - where he removed the batteries from the smoke alarm you start to see why mains operated systems are needed.
We even think about the testing of them - and fit low level test switches where the elderley / disabled can't reach ceiling mounted ones.

We are starting to pull certificates that don't have serial numbers of sound level test equipment, or as fitted drawings - how many installers have done a design course and think about sound levels reaching a room that is off another room. Aico do a free course by the way !

The large housing providers fear bad publicity so adopt a belt n braces approach sometimes.
At the end of the day if you want to rent to someone you comply with their requirements or rent to someone else.

 

[MDJ]

A friend is renting out her flat to local authority tenants. The local authority has told her to install mains smoke and fire alarms in a 2 bed flat or face enforcement action. The regs require a mains powererd smoke detector and I have no problem fitting that but a fire alarm? I have seen something about a mains fire alarm if the kitchen door is not a fully fire rated one and she doesn't have this. Can anyone throw any light on this? If a fire alarm is required can I sign it off or do you need to be specially approved?

Any advice appreciated.

I would suggest you take the advice given by tazz as the right advice, I have yet to see anything he has said regarding fire alarms as incorrect, very good advice IMO.

 

[tazz]

Brian, have worked with most Southern aurthorities for many years, and never had any problems. As a comercial designer, they have always been open to my comments and input. As you stated db levels are crucial in all comercial and domestic installs. This is why on our as fitted drawings with show both ambient and alarm db levels in all rooms, just as a matter of interest a rule of thunmb is that 20-25 dbs can be lost through a 44mm fire rated door. prooving you point stated. The be all and end all, is for installation companies and local authorities to protect life by setting common sense standards.