Fire safety in Dudley
The West Midlands has a large stock of post-war council tower blocks, new city-centre residential schemes and purpose-built student accommodation, alongside manufacturing and industrial estates.
In England, fire safety in non-domestic premises and the common parts of blocks of flats is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. Higher-risk residential buildings are also covered by the Building Safety Act 2022, which is overseen by the Building Safety Regulator.
Rented homes and HMOs
Rented homes in England must have a smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, other than a gas cooker. HMO licence conditions set by the local council often go further and call for a mains-wired, interlinked system to BS 5839-6.
Taller residential buildings
Occupied buildings in England at least 18 metres or seven storeys high with two or more residential units are higher-risk buildings. They must be registered with the Building Safety Regulator, and the Principal Accountable Person must prepare a safety case report that can be called in at any time.