Lettings & Property Management

Fire Safety: Furniture and Furnishings

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Precautionary measures are the best form of fire prevention which is why all rental properties must adhere to The Furniture & Furnishings Regulations Act of 1993. A landlord found to be in breach of these regulations faces hefty fines and even imprisonment. The Act states that all furniture (upholstered) and furnishings in a rental property must pass the 'cigarette test'. This test determines how flammable the fabric may be and the rapidity at which it burns. Furniture that does not meet the safety requirements should be removed immediately.
Replacement furniture, either during occupancy or when the property is empty, must comply with the safety regulations.

As of March 1990 furniture sold from reputable outlets should comply with the safety regulations. This should never be assumed and we advise you to check all items are labelled accordingly.

 For further details and advice please request one of our user friendly landlord fact sheets.

Not all furniture and furnishings are automatically covered by the safety regulations, below is a handy table outlining various items:

Covered	Not Covered
Beds (including headboards and mattresses)	Bed linen (including duvets and pillow slips and loose mattress covers )
Children's furniture + Nursery furniture	Curtains and Carpets
Fold-out beds (including futons, sofa beds etc)	Furniture produced before 1950
Pillows, Cushions and seat pads
Furniture covers (either loose or stretch variety)
Certain garden furniture (dependable on item and versatility)