A problem shared and all that.....

[longjohn]

A managing agent has asked me to look at a building with a view to a FRA for him. Two storey (ground and first) 6 separated shops on the ground floor and and offices (one occupant) on the first floor, the office has a central staircase which discharges to ground floor at street level completely separated form the ground floor shops. the tenancies are on a single full repairing lease, i.e. they are responsible for repairs etc within their units. The m.o.e from the ground floor shops is the front and back doors (approx 10 metres apart) then direct to outside. For some reason it has a common fire alarm system for the building, other than that no common areas. The agent is responsible for the structure which appears pretty solid between the units.

Apart from the alarm system (which in my view is not necessary as a common system) I can't see any areas of responsibility for him to do a FRA. Surely the 7 occupants have to do their own individual assessments don't they? Wouldn't it be best practice for him to ensure they all have FRA's? any advice always welcome

[jokar]

Article 2 is the definitions and in that, the definition of premises details part or all of.  Article 22 deals with co-operation and co-ordination so 8 or 9 different FRAs.

[longjohn]

Thanks Joker

I did wonder about art 22

[nearlythere]

Is the stairway non combustible?

[Phoenix]

If the fire alarm wasn't common to all occupancies then I wouldn't be able to see why a landlord fire risk assessment might be required.  However, if the landlord doesn't look after the fire alarm system then there might be a possibility that people are put at risk in the building.  I say 'might be a possibility' because I do not know how beneficial the fire alarm system is to the tenants (i.e. it might not be required for life safety, it might only be for property protection).

The tenants do all have to do their own FRAs, of course, and I would recommend doing one for the landlord that covers: a) the fire alarm system, and b) the common areas immediately outside the exits from the building (for example, these might need emergency lighting or they may have uneven surfaces - ok, probably not, but you have to make the trip worthwhile).

stu