Fire safety in a purpose bock of flats guide update (opens new window). This guidance should be viewed as no longer comprehensive; the Home Office is currently working on a revised version but in the interim, it is continued to be made available as it contains relevant and useful information for purpose-built blocks of flats.

Specialised Housing Guidance in May 2017 (opens new window). This guidance covers sheltered schemes, supported schemes and extra care schemes.

Housing Health and Safety Rating System Enforcement Guidance, Housing Act 2004 Part 1: Housing Conditions (opens new window): The Housing Act 2004 (opens new window) Guidance about inspections and assessment of hazards given under Section 9 (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government), February 2006.

Housing Health and Safety Rating System Enforcement Guidance, Housing Act 2004 Part 1: Housing Conditions (opens new window): Addendum for the profile for the hazard of fire and in relation to cladding systems on high rise residential buildings (Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government), November 2018.

Guidance to support a temporary change to a simultaneous evacuation strategy in purpose-built blocks of flats (National Fire Chiefs Council), fourth edition, August 2022. (opens new window)

Additional guidance and policy direction

The following documents set out clear direction for landlords in respect of fire safety, and whilst not statutory guidance or approved legislation, there are certain recommendations or proposals which are applicable to this policy:

Fire Sector Federation - Approved Code of Practice: A National Framework for Fire Risk Assessor Competency (November 2020) (opens new window)

Fire Sector Federation - A Guide to Choosing a Competent Fire Risk Assessor (Version 3, October 2020) (opens new window)

Setting the Bar: A new competence regime for building a safer future (October 2020) (opens new window)

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

Building a Safer Future - Proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system: A consultation (June 2019) (opens new window)

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: phase 1 report. Volume 1 - 4 (October 2019) (opens new window)

Building a safer future, Independent Review of Building, Regulations and Fire Safety:Final Report (opens new window)