Fire Kills - you can prevent it

When renting a property it is important to take steps to prevent fire, as statistics show that you are seven times more likely to have a fire if you live in rented accommodation. Here are some of the things you can do to keep yourself safe.

Know your landlord’s obligations

Under the law your landlord has to meet the following safety obligations to keep your home safe from fire. They will need to:

• make sure your gas and electric appliances are in good working order - gas appliances should be checked by a Corgi registered gas fitter every year, and electrical appliances should carry the British Safety Standard sign
• ensure your furnishings are fire resistant and meet fire safety regulations
• show you the relevant safety certificates so you can see when appliances were last checked
• supply you with a carbon monoxide detector.

If you are worried your landlord is not doing enough to ensure your safety, contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer who will be able to give you more advice.

Read more about general health and safety in rented accommodation by following the link below.

Health and safety in rented accommodation

What you need to do yourself to keep safe

You should:

• make sure the property has at least one smoke alarm fitted – you can contact your local Fire and Rescue Service for a free home fire risk check, they may also be able to install a smoke alarm for you (follow the link below)
• avoid overloading any of your electrical sockets
• ensure that you extinguish cigarettes properly
• plan an escape route and make sure everyone in your house knows how to escape in the event of a fire.

Find your nearest fire and rescue service (opens new window)
Fire Kills leaflet for people in rented or shared accommodation (PDF, 333kb)
Fire Kills section on students
Fire safety in the home