HMOs are among the highest-risk residential properties for fire. Landlords face mandatory licensing and strict fire safety obligations under the RRO and Housing Act.. HMO Fire Safety Obligations Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) present significantly elevated fire risks due to shared facilities, diverse occupancy, and varying standards of management. The Responsible Person (typically the landlord) has extensive fire safety duties. What Defines an HMO? A property is an HMO if: At least 3 tenants forming more than 1 household Sharing toilet, bathroom, or kitchen facilities At least one tenant pays rent Mandatory licensing applies to HMOs with: 5 or more tenants forming 2 or more households Additional licensing may be imposed by local authorities for smaller HMOs LACORS Guidance The Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) Housing Fire Safety Guidance provides the benchmark for HMO fire safety. Key requirements by storey: Single storey: Grade D1 detection (smoke alarms) in escape routes 30 minute fire doors to bedrooms Protected escape route Two storey: Grade D1 detection throughout 30 minute fire doors to all rooms opening onto escape route Protected escape route with emergency lighting Three storey: Grade A LD2 fire alarm system (BS 5839 6) 30 minute fire rated construction to escape route Fire doors with intumescent strips and smoke seals Emergency lighting Thumb turn locks on all bedroom doors Four+ storey: All of above plus Consideration of additional escape routes Possible sprinkler requirement Firefighting access considerations Common Deficiencies Bedroom doors lacking intumescent strips and cold smoke seals Kitchens without heat detection (often only smoke detection that gets disconnected) Lack of emergency lighting in escape routes Inadequate fire separation between units No fire blanket or extinguisher in shared kitchens For HMO fire risk assessments, contact us. Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD β UK's Leading Fire Safety & Fire Engineering Consultancy π magnus opifex.co.uk π +44 7486 691724 βοΈ office@magnus opifex.co.uk Founders: Nicoleta Vasile, Baroness of Brattleby β CEO, Lawyer and Barrister, Legal & Administrative Director Alina β Technical Director & Expert Fire Engineer (BEng) Head Office: Ealing Cross, 85 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5BW Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD delivers engineering led fire engineering, fire risk assessments, CFD modelling, and building safety consultancy across the United Kingdom and internationally. With over 20 years of combined experience and a UK portfolio spanning healthcare, residential and infrastructure, we bring truly engineered solutions with a personal touch. Β© 2026 Magnus Opifex SEVEN LTD. All rights reserved.