For landlords and managers of HMOs, the season of goodwill means being very strict on safety. HMOs are subject to a wide range of regulations to ensure the welfare of occupants. At Christmas the risks are even higher, so it’s more important than ever to make sure they’re complied with.

Christmas trees can turn into a massive fireball that pumps out poisonous smoke, taking over the whole building in just nine seconds. There are lots of other HMO hazards to look out for during the festive season. 

Phil Turtle, health and safety expert, fire safety risk assessor and co-founder at specialist landlord advisers Landlord Licensing & Defence, explains how landlords can ensure Christmas in HMOs is more ho ho ho than no no no.

1. First, announce a property inspection – The minimum notice landlords must give before a routine inspection of personal spaces in an HMO (such as bedrooms and other locked areas) is 24 hours. Tell your occupants you’ll be visiting their rooms to conduct a seasonal safety inspection and be honest about why – the rules are there for their protection.

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2. Don’t deck the halls – The radio playlists might be urging us to deck the halls with boughs of holly, but this is a strict no-no in an HMO. All halls, landings and stairways must be ‘fire sterile’ – this means nothing in them that’s capable of burning. And if there is a fire, the thick choking smoke that will quickly fill the air means making sure there are no tripping hazards to hinder a quick, safe getaway.

Risks include:

– Lights draped around doors or bannisters

– Christmas trees in hallways, corridors or outside doors (not even a poinsettia on a plant stand outside a bedroom door)

– All candles, including tealights

No notice is required to inspect common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms. stairs and landings, so start your seasonal inspections in these areas straight away.

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3. Rock around the Christmas tree – safely – Christmas trees and decorations can be displayed in communal living spaces such as lounges and dining rooms. However, they must be carefully placed to ensure HMO rules aren’t being breached and tenants stay safe.

Issues to look out for include:

– Trees blocking fire doors, fire escape windows or any form of emergency exit

– Decorations draped on or over smoke and heat alarms or near cooking equipment

– Tree lights and plug-in heaters overloading sockets and extension leads

– Any form of candle or tea-light (except the battery ones), anywhere in the building

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4. Make room for safe seasonal fun – After you’ve given your tenants plenty of notice about room inspections, check private living spaces for all the issues we’ve already covered. And, as a responsible HMO landlord, there are some other potential problems you can help your tenants to be aware of.

Getting dressed up for parties is all part of the fun, but ask them to keep it safe by unplugging hair straighteners and other heated hair devices as soon as they’re not in use. Make sure they’re placed on a heat-proof safety mat on a hard surface – never beds, chairs or other soft furnishings as this is likely to start a fire.

As it’s the one time of year when over-indulging is encouraged, tenants may be tempted to cook Christmas feasts in their rooms. But unless your HMO is specifically designed to accommodate cooking facilities in bedrooms, and has the requisite fire alarms and other safety precautions, this should be strictly prohibited. This includes air fryers, slow cookers, toasters, electric hobs and grills and any other portable cooking facilities. 

Combustible fuel equipment such as camping cookers and barbecues should NEVER be used anywhere indoors. They create carbon monoxide fumes that can kill within minutes, as well as being a major fire hazard for furnishings and clothing.

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5. Absolutely no candles anywhere, ever! – We know we’ve covered this already but we can’t stress this one enough. The shops are full of scented candles that will quickly fill a room with the aromas of pine, cinnamon and other seasonal smells. They are simply not worth the risk. 

There are some simple ways HMO landlords can be more Santa than Scrooge. 

Providing the decorations means you’re not only bringing some Christmas cheer into your property – you can also make sure the tree and lights are safe and situated correctly.

Another way to show you’re getting into the festive spirit is by placing a gift basket of scented reed diffusers under the tree, so tenants can help themselves to safe seasonal smells. You could also add some battery tealights for all of the atmosphere and none of the danger.

Breaching any of the government legislation surrounding the management of HMOs can result in fines of up to £30,000. But at this time of year, the consequences can be much worse than a financial penalty. Lives could depend on the rules being enforced and all landlords are legally responsible.