Fire Safety Doesn't End at Check-In
At the start of a tenancy, the smoke alarms are tested, the paperwork is signed and the keys are handed over.
Six months later, one alarm starts beeping in the middle of the night.
The tenant removes the battery so they can sleep.
A portable heater is moved closer to the bed.
A phone is left charging on soft furnishings.
A fire door is wedged open because it's inconvenient.
Nobody sets out to create a fire risk. That's exactly why these situations are so common.
In January 2026, Avon Fire & Rescue Service reported that it had attended 36 accidental house fires starting in bedrooms since October 2024. Portable heaters, overloaded sockets, extension leads and devices charging on beds or soft furnishings were all identified as common causes.
It's a timely reminder that fire safety doesn't end when a tenant moves in.
Installing an alarm is only the beginning
Landlords in England must provide at least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation.
A carbon monoxide alarm is also required in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).
The required alarms must be tested at the start of every new tenancy. If a tenant later reports that an alarm may be faulty, the landlord must investigate. If it's found not to be working, it should be repaired or replaced as soon as reasonably practicable.
Those legal duties are important.
But having an alarm recorded on an inventory doesn't guarantee it's still working six months later.
The real question is whether there's a clear process for identifying problems once the tenancy is underway.
The risks often develop over time
Most landlords begin a tenancy with the best intentions and a compliant property.
It's what happens afterwards that matters.
An alarm starts beeping and the battery is removed.
An extension lead becomes overloaded.
A damaged cable is ignored.
A fire door is regularly wedged open.
Escape routes slowly fill with bikes, boxes or furniture.
Individually, none of these issues seem particularly dramatic. Together, they can significantly increase the consequences of a fire.
Good communication is just as important as good compliance.
Tenants should know how to test alarms, report faults and raise concerns. Landlords should make that process simple and respond promptly when issues are identified.
Every property is different
Fire safety isn't the same for every rental property.
A self-contained flat, a family home and a licensed HMO may all require different fire safety measures depending on the property's layout, occupancy and licensing conditions.
That's why landlords should avoid relying on generic online checklists or assuming that what was suitable for one property will automatically be suitable for another.
Where a property is licensed, the relevant Bristol City Council licence conditions and fire safety requirements must also be met.
Four simple checks every landlord should make
Fire safety should form part of the ongoing management of a tenancy, not simply a checklist completed at move-in.
As a minimum, landlords should:
Test and record alarms at the start of every tenancy.
Make sure tenants know how to test alarms and report faults.
Respond promptly to reported issues and keep records of inspections, repairs and replacements.
Check the specific fire safety and licensing requirements that apply to their property.
Routine property inspections can also help identify obvious concerns such as damaged sockets, overloaded adaptors, blocked escape routes or alarms that have been removed.
The aim isn't to monitor every appliance a tenant uses.
It's to create a tenancy where problems are identified early and dealt with before they become something much more serious.
Fire safety is a shared responsibility
Tenants have responsibilities too.
They should test alarms regularly, use electrical equipment sensibly, avoid disabling smoke alarms and report faults as soon as they arise.
Equally, landlords should create an environment where tenants feel comfortable reporting problems without worrying they'll be ignored.
Many issues are straightforward to resolve when they're reported early.
The check-in report is only the beginning
Most landlords aren't trying to cut corners.
The challenge is that a property which was fully compliant on the day the tenancy started can gradually become less safe if faults aren't reported, inspections aren't carried out or repairs aren't followed through.
Good property management isn't about creating unnecessary drama.
It's about having reliable systems in place so that safety checks, inspections, maintenance and tenant communication continue throughout the tenancy—not just on day one.
That's one of the biggest differences between simply finding a tenant and professionally managing a property.
If you own a rental property in Bristol and would like to understand how ongoing management can help protect both your property and your tenants, we'd be happy to have a conversation.
Nook Lettings
hello@nooklettings.com
0117 370 4778
This article is intended as general guidance only. Fire safety and licensing requirements vary depending on the type of property, its layout and occupancy. Landlords should always seek property-specific advice where appropriate.
