Student accommodation fire safety in shared housing

A common question from landlords is whether interlinked alarms are needed in every bedroom of a shared house in Reigate. For a house let to students as a single household, the hmo fire safety requirements usually call for a Grade D1 Category LD2 system. This means mains-powered alarms with battery backup placed in the escape route, the kitchen and every habitable room, including each bedroom.

The exact shared house alarm grade depends on the number of storeys and how the rooms are arranged. A three-storey building needs detection that covers the whole escape path so a fire starting in any room triggers an audible warning everywhere. A specialist firm carries out the design and installation based on the layout, then records the specification in the fire risk assessment for the rented house. If the building already has older battery-only units, they will need replacing to meet current standards before a licence is granted.

Not every door in a student let needs to be a fire door, but those protecting the escape route do. In practice this means the kitchen door, the doors to bedrooms opening onto the hallway and any door separating a stairwell from a landing. A specialist firm inspects these during a [fire door inspection](/checks-and-training/fire-door-inspection-reigate) to confirm they close fully into the frame without sticking. Thumbturn locks on bedroom doors are allowed on an escape route provided they can be opened from the inside without a key. Students must never be locked in. Any lock fitted to a bedroom door should release with one simple action from the inside. Thumbturn cylinders meet this requirement, while standard key-operated mortice locks do not. Getting the balance right between security and safe egress is part of the work a fire risk assessor reviews.

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council applies Surrey-wide licensing standards when inspecting a shared let. During hmo licence fire checks in Surrey, the licensing team looks at the alarm system, the condition of fire doors, the presence of emergency lighting on longer escape routes and whether the compartmentation between floors and rooms is intact. They also check that a valid fire risk assessment is in place and that the responsible person understands their duties.

Bringing an older Reigate terrace up to these standards involves several trades. The cost varies widely depending on whether the existing doors can be upgraded with new seals and closers or must be replaced entirely, and whether wiring for a new alarm system needs chasing into solid walls. A specialist firm provides a quote after inspecting the building. Many landlords arrange for the heavier work to happen between tenancies so rent is not lost. Smaller tasks like fitting new signage or testing extinguishers can happen while students are in residence, provided access is agreed.

A fire risk assessment for a shared house is signed off by the competent person who carried it out. For an HMO, this is typically a specialist firm experienced in multi-occupied residential buildings. The landlord remains the responsible person under the law, meaning they hold the document and act on its findings, but the technical work belongs to the assessor.

The assessment should be reviewed whenever something changes: a new tenant moves in, building work alters the layout, or the council updates its licensing conditions. Even without a change, good practice is to review it annually. Student accommodation fire safety relies on this cycle because occupant turnover is high and unfamiliar residents may not know the escape plan. A nominated person service can help landlords keep track of reviews and maintain the paperwork the council asks to see. Arranging a fresh assessment through a local specialist ensures the report reflects the actual building rather than a generic template.