North West
Burnley HMO fire safety requirements
Burnley publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "Burnley Borough Council's Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation" (2018). It is based on the Lancashire standard, which 1 other council uses too.
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?
No rule on who writes it
The council does not say who must carry out the fire risk assessment, so a landlord can do it themselves, as long as it is done properly.
Which standard applies?
Burnley Borough Council's Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation
Published 2018.
Read the council's document →When did we last check?
1 October 2026
We re-check every council's documents each month and update this page when they change.
What Burnley 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 D2, LD2, plus a linked 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
- Recommended
3-storey shared house, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade D2, LD2, plus a linked 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
- Recommended
3-storey bedsits with cooking in rooms, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, LD2, plus a linked heat detector and a linked 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
- Recommended
| 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 D2, LD2, plus a linked smoke alarm in each letting | Grade D2, LD2, plus a linked smoke alarm in each letting | Grade A, LD2, plus a linked heat detector and a linked smoke alarm in each letting* |
| Fire doors on bedrooms | 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 | Recommended | Recommended | Recommended |
- Grade D2 (mains alarms with a replaceable backup battery)
- Grade A (a panel system with call points)
- LD2 (escape route plus rooms where fires are likely to start)
- * 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
Shared regional standard
“Grade A* fire alarm system with smoke detectors in escape route at all levels, heat alarm in the kitchen, incorporate manual call points. ... Grade D* fire alarm system with smoke detectors in escape route at all levels and heat alarm in the kitchen ... Additional interlinked smoke alarms to bedrooms ... Additional interlinked smoke alarms in any cellar”
Fire doors
Shared regional standard
“Bedroom doors must be 30 minute fire doors with combination heat and smoke seal intumescent strips ... Note - Self closer devices should be fitted to all 30 minute fire doors.”
Escape route
Shared regional standard
“30 minute protected escape route. ** ... the staircase enclosure should be of sound, conventional construction throughout the route, and the stairs should be 30 minutes fire resisting.”
Kitchen heat detector
LACORS national guide
“additional interlinked heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in the kitchen”
Emergency lighting
Shared regional standard
“Note – Emergency escape lighting required only if route is complex or where there is no effective borrowed light.”
Fire extinguishers
LACORS national guide
“a simple multi-purpose extinguisher is recommended on each floor in the common parts of HMOs and buildings containing flats.”
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
Not in Burnley?
Councils using the same standard as Burnley
Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a Burnley HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in Burnley?
Which fire safety standard does Burnley use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in Burnley?
Check your Burnley HMO against the council's standard
Answer plain-English questions about your house and get a fire risk assessment report built on Burnley's rules. £45, no subscription.