South West
Bristol HMO fire safety requirements
Bristol publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "Fire Safety Standards for Licensable Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) (Bristol City Council)" (February 2023).
Is a fire risk assessment needed for the licence?
Yes, as a licence condition
You need a written fire risk assessment as a condition of the licence, and the council can ask to see it at any time.
Who can carry it out?
A "competent person"
The council says a "competent person" must carry it out. In fire safety law that means someone with enough training, experience or knowledge to assess the house properly. A careful landlord can meet that.
Which standard applies?
Fire Safety Standards for Licensable Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) (Bristol City Council)
Published February 2023.
Read the council's document →When did we last check?
15 October 2026
We re-check every council's documents each month and update this page when they change.
What Bristol expects in 3 typical HMOs
Worked out from the council's own fire safety rules for three common kinds of HMO. Your house may need more or less depending on its layout, which is what a fire risk assessment is for.
2-storey shared house, 5 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade D1, LD2
- Fire doors on bedrooms
- Not required
- Fire door on the kitchen
- Required
- Protected escape route
- Required
- Heat detector in the kitchen
- Required
- Emergency lighting
- Not required
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Required
- Fire extinguishers
- Not advised
3-storey shared house, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade D1, LD2
- Fire doors on bedrooms
- Required*
- Fire door on the kitchen
- Required
- Protected escape route
- Required
- Heat detector in the kitchen
- Required
- Emergency lighting
- Not required
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Required
- Fire extinguishers
- Not advised
3-storey bedsits with cooking in rooms, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, LD1, plus a linked heat detector and a standalone smoke alarm in each letting*
- Fire doors on bedrooms
- Required
- Fire door on the kitchen
- Required
- Protected escape route
- Required
- Heat detector in the kitchen
- Required
- Emergency lighting
- Not required
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Required
- Fire extinguishers
- Not advised
| Requirement | 2-storey shared house, 5 tenants | 3-storey shared house, 6 tenants | 3-storey bedsits with cooking in rooms, 6 tenants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire alarm system | Grade D1, LD2 | Grade D1, LD2 | Grade A, LD1, plus a linked heat detector and a standalone smoke alarm in each letting* |
| Fire doors on bedrooms | Not required | Required* | Required |
| Fire door on the kitchen | Required | Required | Required |
| Protected escape route | Required | Required | Required |
| Heat detector in the kitchen | Required | Required | Required |
| Emergency lighting | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Fire blanket in the kitchen | Required | Required | Required |
| Fire extinguishers | Not advised | Not advised | Not advised |
- Grade D1 (mains alarms with a sealed backup battery)
- Grade A (a panel system with call points)
- LD2 (escape route plus rooms where fires are likely to start)
- LD1 (alarms in all rooms and on the escape route)
- * The council's own standard asks for less here, so we show the LACORS minimum. We never go below LACORS.
In the council's own words
The wording these requirements come from, quoted from the published documents.
Fire alarms
Council's own standard
“Number of Storeys 1 or 2 ... Number of Persons Sharing Up to and including 6 ... Fire Alarm System Grade D1: LD2 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 Grade D1: LD1 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 Grade D1: LD1 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 ... All detectors should be interlinked, mains- ... powered with battery backup (tamper- ... DH to rooms containing cooking facilities. ... A stand-alone 10 year life sealed battery DS will be ... Fire Alarm System Grade D1: LD1 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 Grade D1: LD1 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 Grade A: LD1 BS5839: Part 6: 2019 ... For properties of five or more storeys, or for properties where there is a floor greater than 200m2 in area, please contact us”
Fire doors
Council's own standard
“Individual bedsits should have a 30-minute fire door1 ... 30-minute fire door1 to all rooms (except bathrooms). ... All other doors should be sound, well-constructed and”
Escape route
Council's own standard
“Walls / partitions on an escape route are required to be of 30-minute fire-resisting construction.”
Kitchen heat detector
LACORS national guide
“additional interlinked heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in the kitchen”
Emergency lighting
Council's own standard
“Required if means of escape has no borrowed light and / or route is long or complex. Should comply with BS5266-1:2016”
Fire extinguishers
Council's own standard
“Fire extinguishers should not be present in a property unless they are serviced and tenants are trained in how to use them. They are only required if there are staff that work /”
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a Bristol HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in Bristol?
Which fire safety standard does Bristol use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in Bristol?
Check your Bristol HMO against the council's standard
Answer plain-English questions about your house and get a fire risk assessment report built on Bristol's rules. £45, no subscription.