East of England
Luton HMO fire safety requirements
Luton publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "Guide to fire safety in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO Fire Guide 2025)" (December 2025). It is based on the Hertfordshire standard, which 0 other councils use too.
Is a fire risk assessment needed for the licence?
Expected, but not sent in
The council's guidance talks about fire risk assessments, but it does not ask you to send one with your application. Fire safety law still says you need one.
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?
Guide to fire safety in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO Fire Guide 2025)
Published December 2025.
Read the council's document →When did we last check?
11 October 2026
We re-check every council's documents each month and update this page when they change.
What Luton 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, LD1
- 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 shared house, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, LD1
- 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 D2, LD1 | Grade A, LD1 | Grade A, LD1, plus a linked heat detector and a standalone 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 | Not advised | Not advised | Not advised |
- Grade D2 (mains alarms with a replaceable backup battery)
- Grade A (a panel system with call points)
- LD1 (alarms in all rooms and on the escape route)
In the council's own words
The wording these requirements come from, quoted from the published documents.
Fire alarms
Shared regional standard
“A Grade A fire alarm should be installed in any HMO that has a floor level above 4.5m ... Any HMO with a floor level above 4.5m (i.e. Second Floor) regardless of the use of the ground floor should have a Grade A fire alarm system ... A grade D fire alarm comprises a system of one or more interlinked mains powered smoke and/or heat detectors each with an integral stand by battery and built in alarm ... Shared houses are referred to in the LACoRs fire guide but have different fire safety requirements to that of a bed-sit type HMO and are not discussed in this guide”
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
LACORS national guide
“Emergency escape lighting required only if the route is long or complex or where there is no effective borrowed light ... Shared house HMO of five or six storeys (shared cooking facilities) Conventional lighting and emergency escape lighting”
Fire extinguishers
Shared regional standard
“the fire service recommends it is best to encourage people to get out of the house quickly and call 999 ... whilst fire blankets should be provided to all cooking facilities there will be no requirement for fire extinguishers.”
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Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a Luton HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in Luton?
Which fire safety standard does Luton use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in Luton?
Check your Luton HMO against the council's standard
Answer plain-English questions about your house and get a fire risk assessment report built on Luton's rules. £45, no subscription.