Work is underway to develop new fire safety guidance for purpose-built flats to help landlords, fire risk assessors and enforcement bodies meet their responsibilities.

The document, which will cover existing purpose-built blocks of flats, is being prepared in response to a demand from social and private sector landlords for more in-depth guidance for such blocks. It will be freely available in pdf format and is expected in July.

The move follows a meeting last year between the Local Government Regulation body (formerly LACORS), the Department for Local Government and Communities (CLG), the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Tenant Services Authority and social and private accommodation providers.

The project, commissioned by CLG, is being led by the Local Government Improvement and Development body. The guidance aims to follow a similar format to existing guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing published in 2008 by Local Government Regulation and clarified in 2009. That guidance, however, was never meant to cover purpose-built blocks of flats.

Among other criteria, the new guidance aims to:

• comprise a single document accessible to regulators, providers of accommodation and fire risk assessors
• cover purpose-built flats of any height (high rise and low rise)
• outline the legislative position, including the different applications of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System under the Housing Act 2004
• be non-prescriptive, while providing suggested acceptable alternative arrangements.

CS Todd & Associates have been appointed as expert consultants for the project and will be responsible for drafting the technical guidance, liaising with fire safety specialists and securing a consensus among key stakeholders. The work is being funded by a grant from CLG and as well as funding from the Electricity Safety Council.