HMO Fire Alarm

[telectrix]

could someone help me with this one. I,'ve been asked to quote a fire alarm on a house converted to 2 flats. Its 4 floors. ground floor and basement one flat. 1st floor and loft conversion 2nd flat. The landlord occupies the top flat. My thoughts were for a full system, optical S/Ds in each room, Heat Rise in each of the 2 kitchens , 3 S/Ds in the one stairwell, 3 Manual Call Points Stairwell and exit doors. Is it a requirement for HMOs to go for an full system, or will just fitting detectors and call points in the communal stairwell comply, with a view to extending at a later date. I have included emergency lighting. My concern is that one or both flats may be occupied by smokers, or, perish the thought, students. From experience I know that the Fire Service does not like Heat Rise detectors in living areas due to the slower response to a fire.

 

[UNG]

From what I have seen with HMO's the requirements vary from council to council so I suppose the starting point point would be the local council for advice

 

[jimes]

yeah council is a good start and i would say an l1 system

 

[telectrix]

am i right in assuming that L1 system is communal stairs, escape routes only?

 

[UNG]

L4 is escape routes stairs and corridors

Try this link for categories and grades of fire alarms

http://www.napitonline.com/downloads/CP 3 07 P 6-7 Fire Alarm Systems.pdf

 

[cbw]

Council will not be too helpfull they will probably refer you to the lacors housing fire safety document, this is what they and the fire officer/liscencing officer refer to.

I allways get the same shpeil about each property is unique and will be/ should be assessed as such.

As a result I allways fit grade A LD1 systems to 3 or more storey HMOs, saves embarrasment when the liscence is turned down!

A good guide is the iee electricians guide to fire detection systems

 

[telectrix]

thank you ung & cbw for those useful posts. will follow them up. before now, on hotels, i have always got the local chief fire officer on site and asked him what he required, just confused with the L1,L2 etc.

 

[jimes]

have a word with whoever you get to commision it as they will have done 5839 and stock up on p clips!

 

[tazz]

Hi to comply with BS5839 rented dwellings you will need to install L4 system.
Smoke detector on all eascape routes, call point on all exits and stair landings.
Do not fit smoke detectors in individual flats, but you must fit isolated mains/battery smoke detection in each flat.

 

[jedisparks]

Recently had a similar job where the council or whoever told the landlord of a 3 storey HMO that they need a grade A L2 system. In a furnished, decorated and ocuupied HMO this is no mean feat. so i priced up some wireless kit for the job and for the parts alone were over 3 grand. with all of the other recommendations they were given they are now selling up!