Fire risk assessments for Georgian and Victorian conversions in Liverpool

Liverpool has some of the finest Georgian and Victorian streets in the country. Around Rodney Street and Canning, Falkner Square, Princes Park and Sefton Park, many of the grand old houses have long since been divided into flats.

Those conversions give period homes a new life. But a house built for one family, with one staircase, timber floors and a cellar, was never designed for several separate households. When a fire starts in one flat, everyone else depends on that single staircase staying clear of smoke long enough to get out.

Does a converted house need a fire risk assessment?

Yes, in most cases. If a house has been converted into two or more flats with shared parts, such as a hallway or staircase, those shared parts fall under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The freeholder, landlord or managing agent is normally the “Responsible Person”, and must have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, recorded in writing.

Some older conversions are also Section 257 HMOs. These are buildings converted into self-contained flats where the conversion didn’t meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. Housing law then applies too, and the council may expect higher standards of fire protection.

The fire risks typical of period conversions

• One staircase for everyone. The original staircase is usually the only way out, so it must be protected from fire and smoke from every flat that opens onto it.
• Original doors. Beautiful panelled doors onto the stairwell are rarely fire doors as they stand.
• Lath and plaster ceilings and timber floors, which may not give the fire resistance needed between flats.
• Basements and cellars used for storage, meters or a lower-ground flat, sometimes with the escape route passing through.
• Hidden voids. Gaps above ceilings, behind panelling and in roof spaces, sometimes shared with the house next door.
• Electric meters and cupboards under the stairs, right on the escape route.
• Alarm systems that don’t link the flats and the staircase, so a fire in one flat might not warn anyone else.

What an assessor will look at

1. Whether the staircase and hallway are protected, with fire-resisting walls, ceilings and doors.
2. The condition of each flat entrance door, and whether it closes fully on its own.
3. Whether the fire alarm system suits the building, and how it is tested and maintained.
4. Emergency lighting on the escape route, where it’s needed.
5. Storage, bins, bikes and anything else that could block the way out or fuel a fire.
6. Fire separation around the basement, meter cupboards and any commercial use.
7. How residents are told what to do in a fire.

Simple improvements that make a real difference

• Make sure every flat entrance door closes fully on its own and fits its frame.
• Keep the hallway and staircase completely clear.
• Enclose meters and cupboards on the escape route in fire-resisting construction.
• Fill gaps around pipes and cables with proper fire stopping.
• Test the alarm regularly and keep a simple log.
• Give every resident clear, written fire safety information.

Your assessment will tell you which of these matter most for your building, and in what order to tackle them.

This guide is a plain-English summary for England and is not legal advice. Licensing and listed building rules vary, so check with your council.