A Landlords Guide to Fire Safety in Rental Properties

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October 8-14 is National Fire Prevention Week, and being that many of our relatives are firefighters, we thought we would honor their employment by offering up tips to keep them from having to work too hard!  But seriously, for landlords, this guide to fire safety is essential to follow ANYTIME when managing their rental properties.

Many elements can potentially cause fires in any home. Still, when it comes to rental properties, these potential fire hazards likely occur from tenants just not thinking thoroughly about their surroundings.  As a rental property owner, it is your responsibility to do periodic inspections.  We do ours twice yearly in spring and fall.  Ensure there are no maintenance issues to be fixed, no lease violations you need to address, and absolutely no fire hazards that the tenant needs to remedy.

Below you will find our landlord tips to guide you when inspecting fire safety in your rental properties.

Know Your Local and State Fire and Building Codes

Codes differ from state to state, but many are just plain common sense.  Please know you may not be covered by insurance if you violate fire codes.  Some items you will find addressed in these codes are:

How many persons can live in the unit?  In California, a single-family home rental is capped at six separate tenants.  In apartments, our state goes by the two-plus 1 rule.  This rule allows two persons per bedroom and one additional for the household.  It is important to remember that these are guidelines, and should no health or safety issue be present, we cannot discriminate on familial status.

What is the requirement for fire extinguishers based on square feet of living space?  This code may differ for single-family homes vs. multi-family complexes, but the theory is the same.  You need to provide fire extinguishers for the tenants to use in the event of a fire.  More on how we handle that below.

What kind of fire escapes or ladders do you need to provide for rentals with more than one story?

Where do I need to post escape plans?

Do I need to install sprinklers in my rental property?

How many smoke detectors do I need in each unit?

Can I have a locked gate at the entrance of the property?  If so, how will fire and police access the property in the event of an emergency?  Does said locked gate need to swing outward to allow easy and quick escape for my tenants?

To find general information on the fire code for your county or region, visit the National Fire Protection Agency Code Finder Page.

Install Smoke Detectors

OK, so this one is obvious, but there are some things you should know about the type of detector you provide and where the placement should be.  You can choose to provide standard smoke detectors with 9v or newer ones with 10-year batteries.   As they are new, we have had several units fail and find some kinks the companies need to work through.

There are newer smoke detectors that are wireless/battery operated but interconnect to communicate with the other sensors in the home. For example, if a fire starts in the living room, that detector will trigger the hallway one and continue until all sensors signal a fire warning for the tenants.  You have on average less than three minutes from the time you hear a smoke alarm to escape a fire. The sooner you hear an alarm, the sooner you can get out safely. Smoke alarms that link together so that when one goes off, they all go off, are called interconnected alarms. These alarms provide more warnings in more places, giving your family more time to escape a house fire. Houses built after 1993 are required by building codes to have interconnected alarms that are wired into their electrical system.

We use this wireless interconnecting smoke detector in our 100-year-old single-family home rental.  For under $30, you really can’t beat the price considering the advanced safety you receive.

If you’d like to add an interconnecting smoke and carbon dioxide combo unit, this is the one we recommend.

How many smoke detectors do you need to provide?

Check your local fire codes, but the basic rule of thumb is one in each bedroom, one in the hallway leading to the bedrooms, and one in each living space (living room/den/basement/dining room, etc.).   If your apartment building has hallways, you’ll need to provide them at each end of those and specific exit lighting for tenants to make their way to exits in dense smoke.

During your periodic inspection, change the battery of each smoke detector.  Many hard-wired and 10-year units have a backup battery.   When you change the battery, use a permanent marker to put the month/year on the battery.  This action shows the insurance company and fire inspectors you are a responsible landlord should it be questioned.  When you do your inspections, take a photo of each detector with the date showing for your files.  If the tenant removes that battery, you can prove you did your job to keep them safe.

Have you learned anything new? Keep reading for more landlord tips to guide you when inspecting for fire safety in your rental properties.

Provide Fire Extinguishers and Have Them Serviced Annually

Depending on if you have a single-family home or a multi-unit property, you should have fire extinguishers strategically placed for tenants to grab quickly.

In our single-family rental, we provide this fire extinguisher on the main level (hanging in the laundry room), plus one in the basement, and a smaller unit in the kitchen (under the kitchen sink).  If your rental includes a garage, we recommend placing a unit in there as well.

For our multi-family complex, on each level, we have boxed extinguishers located on the wall outside each apartment entrance.   You can find these at most big box hardware stores.  Make sure there are no more than 40 feet to the next extinguisher.  Your local fire code will define placement.  We also provide this smaller one inside each kitchen, under the sink.

What Type of Extinguisher to Buy

When selecting an extinguisher for your home or rental property, make sure to choose a rechargeable one that is multipurpose (rated A, B & C).   Fire extinguishers that are multipurpose can fight a variety of fire types.  Specifically, wood, paper, oil, gas, plastic, trash, and electrical which are the most common types of fires you will see in a residential setting.  Rechargeable simply means that they can be reused, but do need to be inspected annually.   As a landlord, you should be inspecting the extinguishers every time you are on the property.  For units housed outdoors (common in multi-family) corrosion and tampering is more likely to occur.

Each year have a fire protection company service your fire extinguishers.  They will recharge the units and inspect the components to ensure they are working correctly.  Specifically, they are looking at the valve to check the pressure in the can, for corrosion on the bottom and on the neck, there is a lock pin in place, and that there are no cracks in the hose.   After a specific period, extinguisher cans do expire.  If you find a good company to service them, they usually will replace them with refurbished ones for a small fee during the inspection.  It’s a good idea to schedule this service when you are doing your inspections so they can gain access to the unit when you are there and are available to answer any questions they may have.

You will know when to service your extinguishers based on the tag attached to each unit, showing when it was last serviced and by whom.  They need to be serviced annually, of which at that time, you will receive an updated tag.  This tag shows rental housing inspectors you are responsible and take the safety of your tenants seriously.

What to look for during periodic inspections

If you are not doing inspections of your units twice a year, then that is a policy to consider implementing right away.  Besides looking for maintenance issues and lease violations, checking each unit for fire safety is a must.  You are the building owner and ultimately responsible for ensuring your tenants are safe and following the rules you have outlined in your lease.  You also need to show your insurance company, or lawyer, proof of these inspections should negligence become a factor in a fire investigation.

⇒Inspect all appliances.

Include both gas and electrical safety checks.  Look for faulty wiring on anything plugged in and make sure all vents are clear of dust.  Inspect kitchen appliances, HVAC units, and washers & dryers.

⇒Check all plugs to make sure they are not overloaded.

It is common in older homes that do not have enough receptacles to handle all the electronics people use.

⇒Have the chimney checked for cracks and make sure it is clean of soot.

You likely will have to hire a special chimney inspector for this task.  Schedule it on the same day as you do your inspection so you can document the findings on your inspection checklist.

⇒Inspect radiant heat sources (wall heaters) to confirm they are working correctly and do not overheat.  Also, make sure the tenant does not have drapes, clothing, or furniture touching the unit. Finally, look for portable heat sources.

⇒Make sure all exits are accessible and are not blocked, inside or out.

This includes fire escapes tenants like to use as patio space.   There should not be anything on the escape that will hinder the tenant from safely exiting the building OR a tenant above them.  Smoke from fires is black and can turn a very bright room to pitch black in no time. Likewise, a tenant cannot fumble with moving a bike when they are on their hands and knees trying to open a door during a fire.

On this same line, inspect all stairways and hallways to make sure nothing is blocking the way of a tenant trying to negotiate their way in the dark, down a hallway crowded with boxes or stairs with shoes or toys on them.

If your property has more than one level, you should be providing a fire escape ladder for all levels above the first story.

Here is the ladder we provide in our two-story multi-family.

During the inspection, make sure to locate it and confirm these ladders are easily accessible by all tenants in the unit.

⇒Look for extreme clutter.

Clutter is terrible on so many levels. First, it will escalate a fire, but it will make it difficult for a tenant to escape quickly. Second, clutter can cause the fire personnel difficulty finding their way around a unit that is overloaded.   Lastly, extreme untidiness can lead to rodent and bug infestations.  Rodents like to eat the plastic covering wiring, causing a fire hazard.

⇒Make sure all lighting in escape routes is working correctly.

This includes the bulbs in the EXIT signs placed in hallways and stairways and path lighting leading to the front or back of the property.

⇒Check the patio for a grill.

If you allow grills, make sure you have rules outlined in the lease regarding usage. For example, we recommend landlords do not allow charcoal or wood-fired grilling at all and only allow electric grilling 10 feet away from the home or an overhang.

We cannot stress the importance of inspections enough.

Our last bit of advice on inspections is to document, document, document!   Inspect all unit areas and take photos of anything and everything that are lease violations.   Click here to purchase our Periodic Inspection Checklist for a single family home.  Give that tenant 2-3 weeks to remedy any issues you have found and go back to re-inspect those problems.  Those notes and photos need to be placed in the tenant file as proof that you have inspected, requested the tenant fixes the issues, and that you have re-inspected.  Do not take videos as they are not usually allowed in small claims court, only photos.  Check out our blog Why Landlord Inspections are Essential to read more about how and when we conduct our inspections.

Hey Landlord, you’re almost done reading our guide to fire safety in rental properties!   Our last section touches on what a landlord should include in their lease regarding fire prevention.

Have a Comprehensive Lease Including Fire Prevention Rules

A strong lease is a pure, 100% “cover your assets” necessity.  Your lease is your most vital protection against potential issues with your tenant.  In your lease, make sure you are clear on the following terms and fire prevention rules:

⇒ Keep exits, hallways, and stairways clear of debris.

⇒ If you allow them, do not allow charcoal or wood-burning grills and set rules for other permitted grilling devices.

⇒ Have it stated in the lease the tenant has to test the smoke/carbon detector once a month and that they cannot remove or tamper with the sensors at any time.

⇒ Include a Fire Action Plan that states the best way to escape in the event of a fire.  Go over and discuss this plan during the move-in inspection.  If you feel so inclined, post a copy of the escape route showing all potential exits in every unit.

⇒ Make sure you have noted that you will be conducting periodic inspections during the lease duration.

⇒ Do not allow portable heaters.  They tend to overheat and can easily be too close to flammable items such as clothing or blankets, causing a fire hazard.

⇒ Create verbiage in the lease that the tenant must notify you of anything they find wrong.  Are their lights flickering?  Is the smoke detector beeping?  Are the exit or path lights not working?   As a landlord, you want to know if something is awry, especially if it can hinder someone’s safety and leave you liable.

⇒ Discuss any fire safety concerns:

For instance, nothing can touch a wall heater, young children should not be allowed to cook unsupervised, do not place anything flammable within 36 inches of an open flame (like a gas stove or water heater), and provisions on using candles.

⇒ Do not allow smoking in or on the property.  Smoking is the leading cause of fire-related civilian deaths in residential buildings.

⇒ Finally, require all tenants to obtain rental insurance and add you/your company as additionally insured.  This coverage will give you peace of mind as it covers tenant-caused damages which take place on your property. For example, let’s say your tenant starts to cook something and walks away, forgetting to come back and check on it.  If this circumstance leads to a kitchen fire, their rental insurance will cover the damage up to their insured amount.  Your insurance will cover the remaining amount if needed.   Also, any damage to their contents, moving expenses, and expenses to live elsewhere until the repairs are made should be covered by their policy; Something your insurance will not cover if a negligent act from the tenant causes fire. Check out our blog Why Landlords Should Require Rental Insurance to learn why we recently changed our tenant policy on it.

This Landlord’s guide to fire safety in rental properties was a long one! However, we hope you find it helpful in your landlord journey.  We started Your Landlord Resource for this reason!

Check out our other blogs to guide you on your self-management journey as a landlord:

10 Tips for DIY Landlords

The Who, What, When, and Why of Residential Vacancy Insurance 

Offering Tenants Incentives Upon Lease Renewal

Make It a Family Affair: How Landlords Can Employ Children for Tax Breaks 

Marketing Your Rental Property, Get to Know the Neighborhood

Tips for Taking Great Rental Property Photos 

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