Draft guidance on fire safety for purpose built blocks of flats has been published and is now available for comment.

The guidance aims to give practical support and advice on existing purpose built flats to landlords, managing agents, enforcing officers and fire risk assessors. It does not introduce new standards or regulations but builds on existing good practice and guidance – in particular Fire Safety Risk Assessment. Sleeping Accommodation published by the Department for Communities and Local Government to support the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO).

The draft guidance is also designed to complement guidance on fire safety provisions in certain types of existing housing published by LACORS (now Local Government Regulation) in 2008 and clarified in 2009. That guide was not primarily intended to apply to purpose built flats and addresses those that do not meet the standards applied under the building regulations since 1992.

The new guidance was commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government, project managed by the Local Government Improvement and Development body, and drafted by CS Todd & Associates.

The foreword to the draft guidance says the document aims to address some of the confusion on the application and scope of the FSO to purpose built blocks of flats. “[The] application of the FSO to blocks of flats has proved problematic. It has led to widely varying outcomes. In some buildings, significant work to upgrade fire safety standards within the common parts has been undertaken to satisfy this legislation. In others, none have been considered necessary.

“Of particular concern is the resulting variation in the findings of fire risk assessments carried out by third parties on behalf of landlords and others responsible for fire safety in blocks of flats.”

The deadline for comments on the guidance is 31 May 2011 and final publication is expected at the end of July 2011. As part of the consultation process, Local Government Improvement and Development is also holding a series of regional events in May.

Local Government Improvement and Development