Fire Alarms in Residential Blocks

[torchy]

My understanding of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)Order and DCLG guidelines is that fire alarms are not normally required in the common parts of residential blocks built to modern building regulation standards.  I have a 3 storey block built in the last 5 years where the local FRS are insisting on a fire alarm even though the residents constantly vandalise the system or set the alarm off maliciously.  The system has been replaced once and is in a state of constant repair.

Can anyone give me any guidance on this issue?  I am the Health and Safety Advisor for a group of companies with 17000 social housing properties  and this issue is giving me a real headache.

[Big A]

I think your understanding is correct. How are the FRS justifying this? Have they served an enforcement notice?

[Galeon]

Get a good fire safety consultant to put the case forward why you don't need one , job done.

[torchy]

In response to Big A; they served notice about 3 years ago and I advised that we should go to arbitration but the local manager decided not to and installed the alarm   Predictably vandalism has taken its toll and the FRS have mentioned the problem of false alarms.  I am meeting with them soon and feel inclined to stand my ground on this one but I wanted to be sure of my information.