North West
Wigan HMO fire safety requirements
Wigan publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "HMO Licensing: Standards for HMO (v1.1.1)" (June 2025).
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?
HMO Licensing: Standards for HMO (v1.1.1)
Published June 2025.
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.
Wigan 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 Wigan 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
- 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 required
3-storey shared house, 6 tenants
- Fire alarm system
- Grade A, 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 required
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
- Not required
| 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 A, LD2 | 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 | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Fire blanket in the kitchen | Required | Required | Required |
| Fire extinguishers | Not required | Not required | Not required |
- 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
“Building Height: 1-2 Storeys Building Height: 3 – 4 Storeys ... Grade D: LD2 Detection System, comprising ... Grade A: LD2 Detection System, comprising ... Interlinked mains-powered heat detector with tamper-proof ... Where a kitchen is located within a unit of accommodation to that ... Grade D mains-powered stand-a-lone smoke alarm with tamper-proof battery-back up supply”
Fire doors
Council's own standard
“FD30S rated door sets (tested to BS EN 1634-1: 2014) on all exits onto the protected route, installed and maintained in accordance with BS 8214:2016.”
Escape route
Council's own standard
“30-minute protected route. Escape route should not pass through risk rooms (i.e. kitchen, lounge or dining room).”
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 required where the escape route is long, complex, or has no effective borrowed light.”
Fire extinguishers
Council's own standard
“Multi-purpose fire extinguisher shall only be provided if deemed necessary in the Fire Risk Assessment.”
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
Common questions
Do I need a fire risk assessment for a Wigan HMO licence?
Can I do my own HMO fire risk assessment in Wigan?
Which fire safety standard does Wigan use for HMOs?
What fire alarm does a 3-storey shared house need in Wigan?
Get a qualified assessor for your Wigan HMO
Wigan wants a qualified fire risk assessor. Tell us about the property and we will put you in touch with one.