HMO Landlords//4 min read
Weekly Fire Alarm Testing In HMOs: A Landlord's Guide
What the weekly test involves, what to write in the logbook, and what to do when the alarm doesn't sound.
HMO managers have a legal duty to keep fire alarms in good working order (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006). Regular testing, written down, is how you show you've done it. For Grade A panel systems the test should be weekly; smoke-alarm systems should be tested at least monthly.
How to do the weekly test on a Grade A system
- ▸Warn residents first, and tell any alarm receiving centre if the system is monitored.
- ▸Operate one manual call point with the test key — use a different one each week, in rotation.
- ▸Check the panel shows the correct zone and that the sounders can be heard.
- ▸Silence and reset the panel, and check it returns to normal with no faults showing.
- ▸Write it in the logbook: date, time, call point used, result and your name.
[!]Try to test at the same time each week so residents know a short alarm is a test, and anything at another time is real.
If something doesn't work
- ▸Sounders don't operate, or the panel shows a fault — record it in the logbook and call a fire alarm engineer the same day.
- ▸Part of the system is out of action — tell residents, increase checks, and follow your fire risk assessment on extra precautions until it's repaired.
- ▸You smell burning, see smoke or there's any sign of fire — get everyone out and call 999.
Don't want to do it yourself?
JHS carries out weekly testing for landlords and agents, recording every test in the site logbook. It's included in our Basic and Platinum service packages, or available on its own as a monthly service.
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