Fire safety in rented business property
Key responsibilities for tenants and landlords under fire regulations for commercial property.
Anyone who has control of the commercial property, or some control over part of the business premises, can be responsible for fire safety. This means you need to:
- carry out and keep up to date a fire risk assessment, considering the possible risks to all people who could be affected
- take steps to prevent fires eg ensuring electrical equipment is maintained
- provide fire precautions to safeguard people using the workplace eg escape routes to a place of safety, fire-resistant doors and walls, fire alarms and fire-fighting equipment
- train staff in fire safety
Landlord and tenant fire safety responsibilities
In commercial property, both the landlord and the tenant normally share fire safety responsibilities. For example, in a multi-occupied office block housing a number of employers, all tenants have responsibilities for those parts of the premises used by their employees. The landlord or managing agent must ensure fire regulations are complied with on common staircases. The landlord is responsible for maintaining and checking shared fire safety equipment, such as a fire alarm system covering the whole building. Fire safety responsibility.
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