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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Fire Safety => Topic started by: GB on September 21, 2011, 10:36:18 AM
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I have read in numerous paragraphs of the increased liklihood and and risk of fire which people who live in HMO's encounter.
I have read of the increased passive and active fire safety systems which landlords need to install for typically a four bedroom flat used by students and the requirement for licensing, annual maintenance etc, all at great cost to us poor landlords ::)
I have looked at national fire statistics and that great resource in the sky called Google!, but there appears to be no statistical evidence to support the claim that people living in HMO's are moke likely to have a fire and more likely to suffer harm as a result of the fire.
Can anyone point me to published reliable data rather than anecdotal statements of HMO fire safety?
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There have been a number of research reports ENTEC, DETR, etc and more information is available here - http://fire.org.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=3073;sa=showPosts
Its more to do with bedsits than all HMOs but they seem to have all been lumped in together, its not generally about the premises but the type of occupant in low cost housing - socio economic factors, drinking, drugs, etc. - I'm afraid that there is no discrimination within the legislation to cope with this aspect as it would be too difficult.
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There is huge demand for affordable housing in the private rented sector these days. HMOs fulfil this function by providing homes for people with socio-economical problems, whom might otherwise struggle to afford any other form of accommodation, or may not be eligible for other forms of social housing. This can be for several reasons which as a landlord Im sure you already know.
Without wanting to make sweeping statements, you only have to consider the type of people that reside in a typical HMO. They are people who generally aren't there through choice, or are there due to their personal actions or circumstances. Without access to HMOs tenants might otherwise find themselves in hostels, or even homeless.
Thus HMO tenants may be drug or alcohol abusers who have literally wittered their personal finances down the drain, or people whom have no means to support themselves and thus require assistance from local authorities thorugh housing benefits. Equally they could be persons whom have just left prison and need somewhere to stay until they can re-integrate back into society, they could be someone who has been refused other social housing due to their unsociable behaviour or lifestyle. They might be economic migrants, or indeed illegal immigrants. They could be someone who has just lost their job and everything they worked for,who feel pretty peeved with life. All of these people are vulnerable in one way or another because of their circumstances, frame of mind, behaviour etc.
And then there are students, many of whom find themselves away from home for the first significant period of time, fending for themselves (without parental supervision) so their inhibitions, and behavior may be different to what you might otherwise expect.
So hopefully you can see the potential risk tenants pose especially when you stick them together in a house. The landlord can't be there 24/7 and thus can never be sure what happens behind closed doors, and what the tenants are getting up to. You may rent a HMO to 4 great tenants and one bad one. All it takes is that bad tenant to put everyone else at risk. And that is why you need enhanced fire precautions.
If you look at the fire statistics you will see that people still die in dwelling fires. HMOs come into that category, the trouble is they are not always recorded as such by the fire & rescue service. Fire crews submit a fire report for every incident they attend, these reports help to generate statistics. Sometimes HMOs are incorrectly recorded as single private dwellings.
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I believe that the main problem statistics-wise is predominantly the HMO's which are over 2 storeys, i.e. No window escape available. (Or a window escape available, but a bit too much time to pick up speed prior to hitting the floor) This coupled with all the details Retty put forward culminate in quite a risk given the right circumstances.
If you can get the DETR report "Fire Risk in HMO's" then that might be of help.
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Civvy that is what people call the Entec report. But I think you will find that it did not adequately separate HMOs from some purpose built accommodation, because of statistical problems in the FDR1s.
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Thanks for that information.
HMOs = Dangerous. FACT
There, what more proof do you need? It is on the internet, and it has "FACT" at the end of it.
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The problem with HMO fire stats is complicated.
There's definately a link but it probably not causal.
In simple terms> most HMOs aren't very nice and tend to be occupied by people with low incomes.
horibble housing and poverty are linked to fire stats so HMOs rise to the top of the list.
I suspect there are also situations where a firefighter recording a fire calls a building a HMO cos its a bit horrible
But 5 bankers sharing a flat in knightsbridge may well be in a HMO (as defined) but they are unlikely to fall victim to a fire.
The english housing survey gives some good stats on how housing quality and poverty link to fire risk
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As always, I agree with Wee B. It is not the HMO per se that is dangerous, it is just that people who live in HMOs are in greater danger of dying from fire that wee B in his state funded mansion. However, the stats in the Entec report, though they were the best you could get at the time, need careful reading in the light of how they were derived.