Fire Safety Policy

Regulatory standards 

We must ensure we comply with the Regulator of Social Housing's regulatory framework and consumer standards for social housing in England.  The new consumer Regulatory standards for landlords (opens new window) were introduced on 01 April 2024 and detail the four consumer standards which landlords are required to comply with, including:

• The Safety and Quality Standard (opens new window) - which requires landlords to provide safe and good quality homes and landlord services to tenants. This includes stock quality; decency; health and safety; repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements; and adaptations.
• The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard (opens new window) - which requires landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect so that tenants can access services, raise complaints when necessary, influence decision making and hold their landlord to account. This standard incorporates Tenant Satisfaction Measure (TSM) requirements.
• The Neighbourhood and Community Standard (opens new window) - which requires landlords to engage with other relevant parties so that tenants can live in safe and well-maintained neighbourhoods and feel safe in their homes.
• The Tenancy Standard (opens new window) - which sets requirements for the fair allocation and letting of homes and for how those tenancies are managed and ended by landlords.

The Social Housing Regulations Act 2023 (opens new window) will change the way social housing is regulated and may result in future changes to this policy.

Legislation 

The principal legislation applicable to this policy is:

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 : Call for Evidence (July 2019), and summary of responses (March 2020) (opens new window)

The Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (opens new window) came into force on 16 May 2022 and amends the FSO.

The Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (opens new window) came into force on 23 January 2023.

Building Safety Act 2022 (opens new window) came into force on 1 April 2023 and amends the FSO.

This policy also operates within the context of additional legislation, industry guidance and government policy direction (see Appendix 1).

Sanctions 

The Council acknowledges and accepts its responsibilities in accordance with the regulatory standards, legislation and codes of practice and that a failure to discharge our responsibilities and obligations properly could lead to sanctions, including prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (the HSE) under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (opens new window); prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 (opens new window); prosecution under the Gas Safety Regulations; and via a regulatory notice from the Regulator of Social Housing.