Ealing HMO Fire Safety Requirements: Doors, Alarms and Escape Routes

Fire safety is not a box-ticking exercise for Ealing's licensing inspectors. It is the area where most schedules of works are issued, and non-compliance with fire-related licence conditions can attract civil penalties of up to £40,000 per breach.

Fire Doors

Two or more storey HMOs need self-closing FD30S fire doors (rated to resist fire and smoke for 30 minutes) on bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms. The doors must have intumescent strips and cold smoke seals. Bedroom and final exit doors must open from the inside without a key; a thumb-turn or Yale-type lock can meet this requirement.

The "S" in FD30S indicates smoke protection. A door rated FD30 without smoke protection does not meet Ealing's standard for these doors. Inspectors check that strips and seals are intact and that self-closers pull the door shut.

Smoke Alarms

All HMOs must have an automatic fire alarm system. Ealing specifies hard-wired, interlinked Grade D1 LD2 (or equivalent) systems for one- and two-storey HMOs, and Grade A LD2 (or equivalent) systems with a control panel for HMOs of three or more storeys. The system must include smoke detectors in bedrooms, escape routes and communal living rooms, and a heat detector in the kitchen.

The installer should provide a certificate confirming that the system was designed and installed to the relevant British Standard. Ealing requires an Automatic Fire Detection Certificate for HMO applications.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, gas fire, solid fuel stove). Since the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, this applies to all rented properties in England — not just HMOs.

Emergency Lighting

Ealing's HMO standards require suitable emergency lighting for the protected escape route, with the number and position of lights determined by the fire risk assessment. An emergency lighting certificate should be included with the HMO application.

Fire Risk Assessment

A written fire risk assessment is required for mandatory HMOs and Section 257 buildings. It must identify fire hazards, assess escape routes and compartmentation, and set out emergency protocols. Review it annually or when a tenancy changes, whichever is sooner, and keep it available for inspection during the licence term.

What Inspectors Look For

During both pre-grant and post-grant inspections, officers check:

• Fire door ratings, strips, seals and self-closers
• Smoke alarm type, positioning and interlink function
• CO alarm placement near combustion appliances
• Emergency lighting in corridors and stairways
• Clear, unobstructed escape routes
• Correct window openings for emergency egress

Tenants must receive at least 24 hours' written notice before a routine inspection.

The Ealing landlord licensing guide sets out the fire safety standards for each licence type, with a room-by-room checklist you can work through before the inspector visits.

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