Multi-occupied residential buildings

The Fire Safety Act 2021 came into force on 16 May 2022. It amends the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, clarifying that – in a multi-occupied residential building, containing two or more sets of domestic premises – the Order applies to:

• The building’s structure and external walls (including windows, balconies, cladding, insulation and fixings) and any common parts; and
• All doors between domestic premises and common parts, such as flat entrance doors (or any other relevant door).

The UK Government has now introduced the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, which requires Responsible Persons of high-rise residential buildings to undertake monthly routine checks of specific fire safety equipment.

Please report faults in fire safety equipment in high-rise buildings using this form.

 The Regulations introduce new requirements for multi-occupied residential buildings, and different regulations apply depending on a building’s height.

Follow the menu links for more information about the different requirements:

• Residential buildings with two or more domestic premises
• Residential buildings 11m and higher
• Residential buildings 18m and higher
• Reporting requirements under the new Regulations

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has collated some frequently asked questions about both the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.