HMO fire risk assessments for landlords
An HMO fire risk assessment in England looks at the escape route, fire doors, fire detection and alarm, emergency lighting and how the house is managed, and records what needs to change. The common parts of an HMO fall under the Fire Safety Order, and councils also assess fire risk under the Housing Act 2004. Garrison FM assesses HMOs to BS 9792:2025 from £395 ex VAT.
House in multiple occupation
from £395
Ex VAT. Report within 5 working days of the visit, reviewed by a second senior assessor.
What the law requires for HMOs
An HMO landlord in England answers to 2 regimes: the fire and rescue service under the Fire Safety Order, and the council under the Housing Act 2004.
- Fire Safety Order 2005: the responsible person must make and record a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment of the common parts. Since 1 October 2023 the whole assessment must be in writing. Read article 9.
- HMO licensing: an HMO with 5 or more people forming 2 or more households needs a mandatory licence from the council. See the 2018 order. Many councils, including Reading and Oxford, also license smaller HMOs under additional licensing schemes.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: since 1 October 2022, rented homes need a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. Licensed HMOs meet equivalent duties through licence conditions. Read the 2022 regulations.
- LACORS guidance: the LACORS Housing Fire Safety guide, written with the fire and rescue service and environmental health bodies, sets out how councils and fire services assess fire safety in HMOs and other shared housing.
What an HMO assessment covers
Garrison FM assesses HMOs to BS 9792:2025, which covers houses in multiple occupation and converted flats.
- The escape route from every bedroom to the final exit, including inner rooms
- Fire doors to bedrooms, kitchens and the escape route, with their self-closers and seals
- Fire detection and alarm: type, coverage and test records
- Emergency lighting, where the escape route needs it
- Kitchen arrangements, cooking appliances and the risk from shared kitchens
- Locks on bedroom and exit doors, and whether they open without a key
- Storage in the escape route, bins and bicycles
- Fire safety information given to tenants
Every assessment is non-destructive unless agreed in advance. See the full scope and exclusions and a sample report.
BS 9792:2025 for HMOs
BS 9792:2025 is the BSI code of practice for fire risk assessment in housing, and its scope names houses in multiple occupation. It replaced PAS 79-2:2020 in August 2025.
A licence application or a council inspection may ask for fire safety evidence. A written assessment to the current standard, naming the assessor, gives the council that evidence.
For HMO landlords in Reading and Oxford
Reading Borough Council's additional licensing scheme has been in force since 1 March 2026 and runs to 28 February 2031. It covers HMOs with 3 or more people from 2 or more households across the whole borough. See the council's HMO page.
Oxford City Council renewed its city-wide additional licensing scheme from 25 June 2026 to 25 June 2031. See Oxford's scheme. For other councils, see our area pages.
What we need from you
- Number of storeys, bedrooms and occupants
- Whether the HMO is licensed, and the licence conditions if so
- Access to all shared areas and, with tenants' agreement, a sample of bedrooms
- Fire alarm test and service records
- The current fire risk assessment, if there is one
- A contact for access, such as the letting agent or a tenant
Questions
Related guides
Do HMOs need a fire risk assessment?
Yes. The Fire Safety Order applies to the common parts of an HMO, so the landlord or manager, as responsible person, must carry out and record a fire risk assessment. Since 1 October 2023 the whole assessment must be in writing. Councils also inspect fire safety in HMOs under the Housing Act 2004.
What counts as an HMO?
In broad terms, GOV.UK defines an HMO as a home let to at least 3 people who are not from 1 household and who share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. A large HMO has 5 or more people from more than 1 household. The full legal test is in section 254 of the Housing Act 2004.
What fire alarm does an HMO need?
It depends on the number of storeys, the number of occupants and how the house is let. The LACORS Housing Fire Safety guide sets out the systems councils expect for different HMO types. The fire risk assessment records the system installed and says whether it suits the house.
Is Reading's additional HMO licensing scheme in force?
Yes. Reading Borough Council's additional licensing scheme came into force on 1 March 2026 and runs to 28 February 2031. It covers HMOs with 3 or more people from 2 or more households that do not already need a mandatory licence, across the whole borough.
Book a fire risk assessment
Tell us the building type, the postcode and the date of your current assessment. We reply with a fixed price and the first available visit date.