Landlords are responsible for the fire safety of their tenants and the provision of fire blankets and simple fire extinguishers should be installed to restrict the development and spread of small fires in their early stages. In HMOs and buildings containing flats, simple multi-purpose extinguishers are required on each floor in the common parts. Whilst powder extinguishers are excellent multi-purpose extinguishers, an inadvertent discharge or deliberate abuse of powder extinguishers can cause substantial damage. Landlords therefore need to consider carefully whether foam or even water extinguishers are a suitable alternative. Water mist fire extinguishers, for example, are an excellent alternative, as they can be applied on most fire types, including fat fire and electric fires and cause almost no damage to the interior. Fire extinguishers should be maintained annually to BS 5306-3. This needs to be done by fire extinguisher service engineers.
