East of England
St Albans HMO fire safety requirements
St Albans publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "SADC HMO Amenity Standards, section 5 Fire Precautionary Facilities" (2019). It is based on the Hertfordshire standard, which 3 other councils use too.
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?
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?
SADC HMO Amenity Standards, section 5 Fire Precautionary Facilities
Published 2019.
Read the council's document →When did we last check?
14 October 2026
We re-check every council's documents each month and update this page when they change.
What St Albans 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, 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
- Required
- Fire blanket in the kitchen
- Required
- Fire extinguishers
- Not advised
3-storey shared house, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, 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
- 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, 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
- 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, plus a linked smoke alarm in each letting | Grade A, LD2, plus a linked 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 | 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 | Required | Required | 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)
In the council's own words
The wording these requirements come from, quoted from the published documents.
Fire alarms
Council's own standard
“BS5839-6 (2019) has changed the requirements for HMO premises of 1-2 stories (below 200m2) for new or materially altered premises, which will now require a grade D category LD1 rather than LD2.”
Fire doors
Shared regional standard
“Ensure that there are self-closing fire doors that provide 30 minutes fire and smoke protection (FD30S) on all bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms.”
Escape route
Shared regional standard
“All HMOs shall be provided with an adequate protected means of escape from fire, together with other fire precautions including so far as necessary, a fire detection and warning system with emergency lighting to the satisfaction of the inspecting officer.”
Kitchen heat detector
LACORS national guide
“additional interlinked heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in the kitchen”
Emergency lighting
Shared regional standard
“Arrange for the installation of suitable and sufficient emergency lighting to provide adequate coverage to the protected fire escape route. The number and position of any luminaries should be determined by your fire risk assessment.”
Fire extinguishers
Shared regional standard
“The use of fire extinguishers is not recommended in HMOs, however if they are provided they must be: a) Checked and serviced annually with records kept.”
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
Not in St Albans?
Councils using the same standard as St Albans
Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a St Albans HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in St Albans?
Which fire safety standard does St Albans use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in St Albans?
Check your St Albans HMO against the council's standard
Answer plain-English questions about your house and get a fire risk assessment report built on St Albans's rules. £45, no subscription.