If you live in a rented home, we want to make sure you know about your rights and responsibilities around fire safety. 

Our advice covers different types of properties (including flats and shared houses), what to do when you move in and how to report a fire safety concern. 

Keeping Safe as a Tenant 

• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms once a week, or at least once a month as a minimum. Once you’ve moved in, it is your responsibility to make sure your smoke alarms are working. 

• Keep all exits and emergency access to your building clear, this includes both communal corridors and in your home. 

• Keep door and window keys somewhere accessible. Ideally, this would be somewhere close to the windows and doors (but keep security in mind). 

• Know how to isolate the gas, electric and water supply. 

• Report any damage or defects to your landlord or letting agent as soon as you see it. For example, damaged fire doors or a faulty alarm. 

• Read our advice for making an escape plan. Link to page on website 

If there is a fire 

• Follow the safety advice for your building from your landlord. 

• Your building may have a ‘stay put’ policy so it’s important to make sure you know what you should do if there is a fire. 

• Read our advice on what to do if there is a fire. Link to page on website 

Moving in checklist 

• Check you have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Your landlord, at the start of your tenancy, has a responsibility to make sure the smoke alarms are working. 

• Check what you should do if there’s a fire in your building. You should know whether your building has a ‘stay put’ policy or whether you should evacuate on hearing the fire alarm. 

• If you need to evacuate – plan and practice your escape plan in the event of a fire. Think about the safety of yourself and others in your home. 

• Make sure your landlord has provided you with a Gas Safety Certificate (if gas is supplied to the property). 

• Check that any electrical appliances are safe and in good working order. The landlord should maintain any appliances they have supplied.