As a landlord, in most cases it is cost prohibitive to install systems such as sprinklers and in some case impossible, no matter much how money we have. It is better to have fire prevention, rather than suppression. Using fire retardant materials in furnishings, decor and flooring's is a good start. Well lit and clear escape routes is also very important. Fire escapes are already a mandatory requirement for residential buildings higher than two storeys. HMOs occupied by more than three unrelated people already require alarms and extinguishers etc.
Although I am no longer in the HMO sector, all my properties have extinguishers, smoke alarms and fire blankets installed. They also have fire escape rope ladders in at least one up stairs fire egress window, in conjunction with window hammers. These items are checked on a regular basis and I have clauses in rental agreements, which include that the tenants are in breach of their tenancy, if they allow theses items to be misused or fall into disrepair, e.g. if they do not tell me that the fire extinguisher has developed a fault (leak etc.), or that they don't bother to replace the batteries in the smoke alarms, they run the risk of losing their tenancy (rather a homeless tenant than a dead tenant). The cost of these items is are not expensive (neither are they cheap either), but they are reflected in the rent. I have calculated that over about five years, on average, approximately eight pounds a month goes toward the installation and maintenance of this equipment.
Most landlords will do everything that is necessary and more to protect their assets (that includes the tenants as well as the properties) and that includes preventing fire from burning them down. The insurance may replace the buildings, but not necessarily the rent.
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Originally Posted by rogermevans
i doubt it would cost that and in any case they don't often bring in retrospective laws mostly its just that it has to be done at the next refurb and all new housig fitted
plus look at all those extra jobs it could create 
as to cost it cost about as much as carpeting a house or flat so some where between £1500 to £3000
but for most landlords and housing associations they should get a lot of that back in reduced insurance premiums over time and in any case if every one had to have it the cost of putting it in would drop as more companies competed for the work
all in all i think its worth the cost any how especially for multy occupancy houses and flats and still worth it for houses as well |
I have never spent more than five hundred pounds in carpeting a three bedroom house and that would be a big house with very good carpets.
To install a modern day sprinkler system in a block of six flats, would cost between about fifty and one hundred thousand pounds. That's a lot of carpets.