HMO fire risk assessment
Fire risk assessments for Preston HMOs.
Every Preston HMO needs a written fire risk assessment. Do yours online to BS 9792:2025, and see what Preston's own fire safety rules mean for your house.
Skip the £200–£500 assessor bill. Built on the guidance councils use, for £45.
Refund guarantee: full refund if your council rejects our report’s format or the standard it’s written to. Terms apply.
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Written by Bradley, Founder of FRASafeCouncil rules last checked 14 October 2026How we check →
North West
Preston's HMO fire safety rules
Preston publishes its own HMO fire safety standard, "HMO Licence conditions". FRASafe's assessment follows BS 9792:2025 and LACORS. Below is what Preston's rules ask for in a typical house, so you know what to expect.
- Standard
- HMO Licence conditions
- Assessment for the licence
- Yes, with your licence application
- Who can carry it out
- No rule on who writes it
- Last checked
- 14 October 2026
Running an HMO in Preston
The local rules and contacts that sit alongside your fire risk assessment, each taken from the council's or fire service's own website.
- Fire and rescue service
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service covers Preston.
Source: lancsfirerescue.org.uk- Selective licensing
Preston has proposed selective licensing for the City Centre, St Matthew's and Plungington wards. If it goes ahead, most privately rented homes there will need a licence, not just HMOs.
Source: preston.gov.ukShow the official wording
“The Selective Licensing consultation is now closed.”
- Planning
Turning a family home into a small HMO needs planning permission in seven wards within the inner parts of Preston (an Article 4 direction, in force since 18 February 2012).
Source: preston.gov.ukShow the official wording
“An Article 4 Direction HMO in relation to the restriction on the permitted material change of use from Class C3 (Dwellinghouses) to Class C4 (HMOs) came into force on 18 February 2012. If the 2026 Direction is confirmed, the 2012 Direction will be repealed.”
- Licence fee
A new HMO licence from Preston costs £882 for a five-year licence (£150 on application and £732 balance), from 01 April 2026.
Source: preston.gov.ukShow the official wording
“Standard rate for a five-year licence: £882 (payable in 2 parts):”
Applying for or renewing your Preston HMO licence? Preston wants a written fire risk assessment with your application.
Get my fire risk assessmentWorked example
What your Preston fire risk assessment will check
A typical 3-storey shared house with 6 tenants, run through Preston's rules. Each item shows the wording it comes from, and what your action plan says if the house is missing it. Your own house may need more or less, which is what the assessment works out.
Fire alarm
RequiredA linked fire alarm system (Grade D2, LD3)
“Shared house HMO of three or four storeys (shared cooking facilities) Grade D: LD3 coverage + additional detection to the kitchen, lounge and any cellar containing a risk (interlinked) Shared house HMO of five or six storeys (shared cooking facilities) Grade A: LD2 coverage ... Bedsit HMO of one or two storeys with individual cooking facilities within bedsits A mixed system: Grade D: LD2 coverage in the common areas and heat detectors in bedsits (interlinked) Grade D smoke alarm in each bedsit to protect the sleeping occupants (non-interlinked) Bedsit HMO of three to six storeys with individual cooking facilities within bedsits A mixed system: Grade A: LD2 coverage in the common areas ... Where cooking facilities are sited in shared kitchen, not within bedsits: interlinked smoke alarms with integral battery backup located in each bedsit”
If it's missing: High priority in your action plan
The fire alarm is Grade F. This house needs a Grade D2 system with LD3 coverage. Have a qualified alarm engineer upgrade it to BS 5839-6. Required by LACORS Housing - Fire Safety: guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing (July 2008).
Fire doors
RequiredFire doors with self-closers on every bedroom and the kitchen
“All doors giving access to the staircase enclosure from rooms, including bathrooms or wc's that contain a fire risk (electric showers, boilers etc.) should be of thirty minutes fire rated construction and fitted in accordance with BS 8214:2008.”
If it's missing: High priority in your action plan
Not every bedroom door is a fire door with a self-closer. Fit FD30 fire doors with self-closers to all bedrooms. Required by HMO Licence conditions (Preston City Council web page) (Undated, checked 1 October 2026).
Escape route
RequiredA protected escape route, with the hall and stairs giving 30 minutes' fire resistance
“Cellar ceilings, spandrels, soffits, horizontal floor separations, walls between flats, internal lobby walls, internal rooms and common parts, must all be constructed to resist the passage of fire and smoke for a minimum of thirty minutes.”
If it's missing: High priority in your action plan
The hallway and stairs are not confirmed as a 30-minute protected route. Make good any holes or open-plan gaps so walls and ceilings give 30 minutes' fire resistance. Required by HMO Licence conditions (Preston City Council web page) (Undated, checked 1 October 2026).
Kitchen heat detector
RequiredA linked heat detector in the kitchen
“additional interlinked heat alarm with integral battery back-up located in the kitchen”
If it's missing: High priority in your action plan
Not every kitchen has a linked heat alarm. Fit an interlinked heat alarm in each kitchen. Required by LACORS Housing - Fire Safety: guidance on fire safety provisions for certain types of existing housing (July 2008).
Emergency lighting
Not needed hereNot needed in this example house
“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”
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will check it.
How it works
From Blank Screen to Finished Report in 35 Minutes
Produce a BS 9792:2025 HMO fire risk assessment, checked against the LACORS housing fire safety guide that most councils use.
You do not need to be a fire-safety expert. FRASafe turns the legal requirements into plain-English questions and builds the report for you.
Complete the assessment
Answer structured questions covering fire hazards, means of escape, fire detection, fire doors, and more, mapped to BS 9792:2025 and the RRO 2005. Progress saved automatically.
Review findings & action plan
FRASafe generates a prioritised action plan with risk ratings for every finding. Review and sign your declarations before generating the report.
Download your PDF report
For £45, download your finished fire risk assessment PDF, laid out for your licence application.
Real reviews
What HMO landlords say
“I manage three HMOs. An assessor quoted £350 each, over £1,000. I did all three with FRASafe in an afternoon for £135.”
“I was required to undergo a fire risk assessment as part of my HMO application. I found the Frasafe online form easy to complete and upload information to produce a Fire Risk Assessment that was relevant to my property. The price point of £45 was affordable, making Frasafe the right choice for my needs as a busy Landlord.”
“Super smooth process for getting my fire safety report for my AirBNB property. Will be using again.”
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How fire-safe is your HMO?
Take the free 60-second fire safety check and get an instant Red, Amber or Green score, plus the things to fix first. No obligation.
Simple pricing
No subscription. No hidden fees. Pay once per report.
£200–£500 professional assessor
- Full BS 9792:2025 questionnaire
- Works offline on-site
- PDF fire risk assessment in your name
- Built on the LACORS fire safety guide
- Lifetime access to your report
- Annual review reminder
One-off payment, taken securely at checkout.
Rejected report? Full refund.
If your council rejects your FRASafe report because of its format or the standard it is written to, send us their reason in writing within 30 days and we will refund your £45 in full. You take no risk. This does not apply if you went ahead after we told you your council requires a qualified assessor.
Common questions
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