Fire Risk Assessments for HMOs

A fire risk assessment for a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) is a legally required, written evaluation of the fire hazards, escape routes and fire protection in a shared rented property. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the landlord or managing agent, as the responsible person, must complete it, act on its findings and keep it up to date.

Every Vigilance Fire Safety assessment is carried out personally by Ray Amoah, who holds ABBE Level 4, DipFRA, MIFSM and FPA credentials. The report is written to support both Fire Safety Order compliance and council HMO licensing.

Page last reviewed: 1 October 2026.

A property is generally an HMO when three or more people from more than one household share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. Mandatory licensing applies in England to HMOs let to five or more people from two or more households, and many councils also operate additional licensing for smaller HMOs, so check with your local council.

You need a fire risk assessment whether or not the property is licensed. The Fire Safety Order applies to the shared parts of an HMO, while housing legislation looks at fire hazards across the whole property, so a good assessment addresses both.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to assess fire risk in the shared parts of an HMO, act on the findings and keep the assessment under review. Serious breaches can lead to an unlimited fine and up to two years’ imprisonment.

Councils license HMOs and assess hazards, including fire, across the whole property. Licensing is mandatory for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households, and many councils also run additional licensing for smaller HMOs. Licence conditions commonly include fire safety requirements.

The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 require the manager to keep escape routes clear and to maintain fire-fighting equipment and fire alarms in good working order.

We assess against LACORS housing fire safety guidance and PAS 79-2:2020, the code of practice for fire risk assessment in housing, so the report is useful both for the Fire Safety Order and for council licensing discussions.

Stairs, corridors, final exits and travel distances, including whether every bedroom has a safe route out.

Smoke and heat detection, interlinked alarm coverage, system grade, testing records and servicing.

Bedroom and kitchen doors, closers, smoke seals and intumescent strips, and whether the doors will hold back fire and smoke.

Escape route lighting and signage where the layout or size of the HMO calls for it.

Extinguishers and fire blankets, placement, suitability and maintenance.

Electrical, cooking and heating risks, stored items, tenant fire instructions and the landlord’s testing and inspection records.

HMO fire risk assessments from Vigilance Fire Safety start from £, quoted as a fixed fee. The price depends on the number of storeys and bedrooms, the complexity of the layout and travel distance, and you will know the fee before we visit.

Send us the address, number of storeys and bedrooms. We confirm a fixed fee before we visit.

Ray Amoah walks every floor and shared area, checking escape routes, doors, detection, lighting and management arrangements.

You receive a clear report with a prioritised action plan within of the visit.

We recommend reviewing the assessment each year and after any change to the building or its occupants.

Dinko Monev

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Send us the address and number of bedrooms and we will confirm a fixed fee.