South East
Crawley HMO fire safety requirements
Crawley publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (Crawley Borough Council)" (Effective from June 2019).
Is a fire risk assessment needed for the licence?
Yes, with your licence application
The council lists a written fire risk assessment as one of the documents you send with your HMO licence application.
Who can carry it out?
A qualified fire risk assessor
The council says the fire risk assessment must be carried out by a qualified or experienced fire risk assessor. A landlord's own assessment is unlikely to be accepted for the licence.
Which standard applies?
Standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (Crawley Borough Council)
Published Effective from June 2019.
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.
Crawley asks for a qualified fire risk assessor, so a self-assessment (including ours) is unlikely to be accepted for your licence. Find a qualified assessor →
What Crawley 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, LD3, plus a standalone smoke alarm in each letting
- Fire doors on bedrooms
- Not required
- Fire door on the kitchen
- Not required
- Protected escape route
- Not 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, LD3, plus 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
- Recommended
3-storey bedsits with cooking in rooms, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, LD2, 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
- 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, LD3, plus a standalone smoke alarm in each letting | Grade D2, LD3, plus a standalone smoke alarm in each letting | Grade A, LD2, 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 | Not required | Required | Required |
| Protected escape route | Not 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)
- LD3 (escape route only)
- LD2 (escape route plus rooms where fires are likely to start)
In the council's own words
The wording these requirements come from, quoted from the published documents.
Fire alarms
Council's own standard
“Mains powered, interlinked smoke alarms with integral battery back up in the escape route at each floor level. 2. Additional interlinked heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in the kitchen. 3. Additional interlinked smoke detector with integral battery back up in the lounge, dining room and cellar (where applicable). 4. Additional single point, non – interlinked smoke detectors in each bedroom.”
Fire doors
LACORS national guide
“30-minute protected route note 8, is required, including 30-minute fire-resisting construction and FD30 doors to all risk rooms (without smoke seals ... 30-minute fire-resisting construction and FD30S doors to all risk rooms. Travel distance must not be excessive”
Escape route
LACORS national guide
“No requirement for full 30-minute protected route note 7, but the escape route should have sound, traditional construction and should not pass through risk rooms ... 30-minute protected route note 8, is required, including 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
“Emergency escape lighting is only required where the escape route is long or complex or where there is no effective borrowed light. If the exit route is dark when all the artificial lights are switched off, emergency escape lighting should be installed.”
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.
Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a Crawley HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in Crawley?
Which fire safety standard does Crawley use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in Crawley?
Get a qualified assessor for your Crawley HMO
Crawley wants a qualified fire risk assessor. Tell us about the property and we will put you in touch with one.