Safety in Rented Accommodation
This information will be of interest to:
- consumers who are concerned that they have been offered or sold unsafe furniture
- tenants moving in to furnished or unfurnished rented accommodation
- landlords renting out properties
In general, responsibility for the safety of goods supplied in rented accommodation lies with the landlord, letting agent or estate agent.
This safety advice is equally appropriate for householders concerned about the safety of their own furniture and appliances.
What should I know about the upholstered furniture in my rented accommodation?
Modern upholstered furniture usually contains foam filling with a fabric cover. Problems were caused in the past by toxic fumes if the furniture caught fire. Regulations now in place require covers and fillings of upholstered furniture in rented accommodation to meet fire resistance standards.
What is upholstered furniture?
Any furniture with soft fillings/stuffing and fabric covers, such as sofas/sofa beds, armchairs, futons, beds, mattresses, etc.
How do I know if furniture is safe?
You can look for a label like this.
This is generally sewn in under seat pads or into a seam, or may be on the underside (platform) of seating. Beds or mattresses won't have this label, but should have one which states compliance with BS 7177.
What if the furniture isn't labelled?
It isn't compulsory for furniture supplied by your landlord to be labelled, but more reassuring if it is. An alternative is to ask your landlord or letting agent for written confirmation that upholstered items supplied for your use comply with fire safety regulations.
What should I know about gas and electrical safety in rented accommodation?
Serious injuries can occur from electric shocks and fires caused by unsafe electrical appliances. The "silent killer", carbon monoxide poisoning, has cost more than 30 lives a year where gas appliances or flues have been incorrectly installed or maintained.
Your landlord is legally responsible for making sure that electrical and gas appliances provided to tenants are safe.
What should I look for?
For electrical goods, such as portable heaters & fires, washing machines, fridges, cookers, TV's etc, the landlord should have a record to show that a qualified electrician has inspected them.
You can do a visual check yourself to see that cables and plugs are not worn or damaged. There should be no access to live electrical parts. Plugs should have effective cord grips and insulated sleeves on the live and neutral pins
For gas appliances, the landlord must have an annual check carried out by a qualified CORGI engineer who will inspect gas appliances/fittings and/or flues. By law a copy of the annual safety check must be issued by the landlord to tenant and records of each safety check must be kept by the landlord for 2 years.
You should check that you have adequate instructions for using gas appliances safely and that they are working properly. It is particularly important that in sleeping areas there is proper ventilation and automatic gas cut-offs are fitted.
The Health & Safety Executive has a Gas Safety Advice Line: 0800 300 363.
Carbon monoxide detectors are a good idea, as are smoke alarms, though your landlord is not legally obliged to provide these. We recommend you consider fitting them.
Generally all goods provided as part of your let should be in a safe condition, but remember you also have a responsibility to take care of them.
What should I do about any safety concerns in rented accommodation?
First talk to your landlord, letting or estate agent who has responsibility for the safety of goods supplied in your rented property.
For safety queries or concerns about upholstered furniture and other goods generally you can also contact Warwickshire Trading Standards
Fire Safety
To help prevent fires:
- keep all fires and heaters well-guarded, especially open fires
- for fitted or portable heaters with a built in guard, give extra protection by adding a surrounding guard
- for children, use a nursery guard with side clips that fit into fixed wall brackets
- keep portable heaters and candles away from furniture and curtains and in a safe place where people can’t trip over them.
- don’t dry or air clothes over or near fire
- do not smoke in bed
- do not leave fat fryers unattended watch for overheating
- keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children
- fit approved smoke detectors on each floor.
- choose a smoke alarm that is mains operated or one with a long life (ten year) battery
Remember in the event of fire Get Out, Stay out and call the Fire Brigade Out!
Heater Safety
All fuel-burning appliances use up fresh air as they burn, and give off waste gases including the deadly carbon monoxide (CO). Heater safety is therefore especially important.
- never block air vents or airbricks.
- if you use a chimney or flue, or bring one back into use, have it swept at least once a year, or more frequently if you burn wood
- never block any outside grilles or rest anything against it
- if a gas flame, which normally burns blue, burns orange this may be a built up of carbon monoxide.
- have your appliance checked immediately
- check the pilot regularly on gas cookers and water heaters to make sure it has not gone out.
- when buying gas appliances look for the British Standards safety mark or British seal of Approval and beware of second hand bargains and cowboy installers
- if you suspect a gas leak, open the windows, turn off the supply and call your gas supplier. Don’t operate switches as a spark could ignite the gas
- always keep a special watch on young children and elderly people when fires and heaters are in use
Electrical Safety
- don’t wire flexes together
- do not use appliances with worn or damaged flexes.
- have your wiring installation checked at least once every five years by an approved contractor, or straightaway if you are buying an older property. Look for an NICEIC or ECA member.
- keep portable mains-operated appliances out of the bathroom. if an appliance appears faulty stop using it and have it checked at once
- consider having a RCD (Residual Current Device) for whole house protection
Safety in the Kitchen
- many fires start in the kitchen, especially fat fires. For safer deep fat frying choose an electric fryer
- take extra care with hot water, tea, coffee or soup if there are young children around, they could get scalded
- plan your storage areas carefully so that heavy items are not kept on high shelves, and items in daily use are within easy reach
- keep medicines and all chemical products such as bleach, turps and caustic soda where children can’t see or reach them
DIY Safety
- don’t tackle a job unless you really have the ability
- a competent, qualified person should always do gas and electrical renewal or repair work
- keep any tools clean and in good repair, and give each one a quick check over before you use it
- always plan ahead – accidents happen more easily if you are unprepared and rush
- Wear trousers and heavy shoes when mowing the lawn and keep your feet and hands well away from the mower blades
- stop and disconnect the mower before checking a fault or cleaning clogged blades and use an RCD
- take extra care with sharp cutting tools
- never leave sharp tools lying around.
- always follow makers’ instructions
Child Safety
Babies and young children depend on you for safety.
- be aware of your baby’s changing abilities and learn to look at them from a safety point of view
- always keep an eye on children at play
- when running a child’s bath put cold water in first then hot.
- a child can easily fall out of a window. Fit safety catches on all upstairs windows – restrict openings to 100mm and keep furniture they can climb on clear of windows.
- young baby can easily suffocate or choke - avoid small objects
- a child can drown quickly in a few inches of water, stay with young children at all times when they are in the bath or in an inflatable garden pool.
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