Pulling everything together, it helps to have a single view of what good looks like. This HMO fire safety checklist walks through the areas councils and fire officers focus on, so you can see at a glance where your property stands. If you run a shared house in Swindon or anywhere in Wiltshire, use it as a starting point, not a substitute for a proper assessment.
Assessment and records
Start with the paperwork that proves the rest. You should have a recorded, suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, reviewed regularly and after any change, plus dated records of alarm tests, servicing, the gas safety check and the EICR. If a council asks, this is the first thing they want to see.
Detection
Check that detection meets the right grade and category for your property, that it is mains-powered and interlinked, that kitchens have heat detectors, and that the whole system is tested and serviced with records kept. Confirm carbon monoxide alarms are fitted where there are combustion appliances.
Escape routes and doors
Walk the escape route as a tenant would. It should be clear of obstruction, protected by fire-resisting construction, and lead to a final exit that opens without a key. Check that fire doors are the right specification, have working self-closers and intact seals, and are not propped open.
Lighting and signage
Confirm the route stays usable in a power cut, with emergency lighting where the property needs it, and that signage is clear without being excessive. Fire action notices in shared areas help tenants who are new to the building.
Equipment and furnishings
Check that any firefighting equipment is appropriate, serviced and signed, with a fire blanket in the kitchen. Confirm the soft furniture you supply meets the furniture fire regulations and carries its labels.
Management and tenants
Make sure your day to day management duties are covered: routes kept clear between inspections, equipment maintained, and tenants given clear fire safety information. Be clear on who the responsible person is and that the duty is not assumed away to an agent.
Where the checklist runs out
A checklist tells you what to look at, not whether your specific building passes. Judgements on alarm grade, travel distances and protected routes need the technical eye a competent assessor brings, which is where the ESI assessor checklist goes far deeper. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service can advise, and your council confirms the local standard.
Turning the checklist into action
A checklist is a prompt, not a pass mark. The value comes from working through it, fixing what falls short in priority order, recording what you did, and setting a date to review. Start with anything that affects life safety, detection, the escape route and fire doors, then work down to the supporting measures and paperwork.
What a checklist cannot do is make the technical judgements a competent assessor makes, on alarm grade, travel distances and protected routes, which is why it supports a proper fire risk assessment rather than replacing it. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service can advise, and your council confirms the local standard, so the checklist becomes the routine that keeps your HMO compliant between formal assessments.
How often you review depends on the property, but a sensible rhythm is a quick monthly walk, a fuller look whenever something changes, and a formal reassessment at the interval your assessor recommends. Tying the review to a fixed date each month is the easiest way to make sure it actually happens.
Check your HMO properly
Want a professional to turn this checklist into a full assessment of your property? For advice tailored to your property from a competent professional, speak to Jamie at ESI: Fire Safety on 01276 300 351.
