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THE RESIDENTIAL Landlords Association (RLA) is pressing the Government to change legislation so local housing authorities, rather than fire authorities, become the single fire safety regulator for residential accommodation in England and Wales.
At present, the local authority, guided by the Housing Act’s health and safety rating system, has general responsibility for a building, while the fire authority, applying the Fire Safety Order, has jurisdiction only over communal areas.
However, the RLA argues that this system of having two regulators, coupled with the different responsibilities for fire safety in separate parts of residential properties, is causing confusion – and it says that local housing authorities should be made the sole enforcer.
The Association also says better guidance is needed for landlords. As RLA lawyer and lobbying team leader Richard Jones comments: ‘Landlords need more clear, specific guidance for the different types of properties they rent out – from shared houses to bedsits and flats – because different fire precautions could be required, depending on which legislation or guidance applies’.
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