If you have been researching fire safety guidance for residential buildings, particularly houses in multiple occupation or purpose-built blocks of flats, you may have come across the term LACoRS.
It is a name that appears in fire safety documentation, risk assessment guidance, and local authority enforcement frameworks, and understanding what it is and what it means for your property is worthwhile for any landlord, managing agent, or responsible person with residential fire safety obligations.
What Does LACoRS Stand For?
LACoRS stands for the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services.
It was a national organisation that coordinated the regulatory and enforcement activities of local authorities across England and Wales, providing guidance, training, and support to local authority officers working in areas including housing, fire safety, environmental health, and trading standards.
LACoRS no longer exists as a standalone organisation.
It was absorbed into the Local Government Regulation function of the Local Government Association in 2011, following a wider reorganisation of local authority regulatory coordination bodies.
However, the name LACoRS remains relevant and widely used in the fire safety sector because of a guidance document that was published under its name and that continues to be one of the most important reference documents for fire safety in residential buildings.
The LACoRS Housing Fire Safety Guidance
The document most commonly referred to when the name LACoRS is used in a fire safety context is the Housing Fire Safety Guidance on Fire Safety Provisions for Certain Types of Existing Housing, published by LACoRS in 2008.
The full title of the document is typically shortened to the LACoRS Housing Fire Safety guidance or simply the LACoRS guide.
It was produced in response to a recognised need for practical, accessible guidance on the fire safety requirements for existing residential buildings, particularly houses in multiple occupation and other residential properties that fall within the scope of both the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Housing Act 2004.
The guidance was developed in collaboration with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Chief Fire Officers Association, and other stakeholders, and was intended to provide a consistent national framework for fire safety standards in residential properties that could be used by both local authority officers and landlords.
What Does the LACoRS Guidance Cover?
The LACoRS Housing Fire Safety guidance provides detailed recommendations on the fire safety standards appropriate for a range of residential property types, including purpose-built blocks of flats, houses converted into flats, houses in multiple occupation, sheltered housing, and other forms of residential accommodation.
For each property type, the guidance sets out recommendations on the appropriate standard of fire detection and alarm system, the means of escape requirements, the fire door specification, the provision of firefighting equipment, the management of fire safety, and the information to be provided to occupants.
The guidance takes a risk-based approach, recognising that the appropriate standard of fire safety provision will vary depending on the specific characteristics of the property, including its age, construction, layout, size, and the nature of its occupancy.
It provides a framework for assessing the fire safety of an existing property and for determining what measures are needed to bring it up to an acceptable standard, taking into account the practicalities and constraints of dealing with existing buildings that may not meet the standards that would be required for new construction.
Why Does the LACoRS Guidance Matter?
Although the LACoRS guidance is not a statutory document, it has been widely adopted by local authorities, fire and rescue services, and housing professionals as a practical benchmark for fire safety standards in residential properties.
Local authority environmental health officers and housing officers use it as a reference when assessing HMO licence applications and when carrying out Housing Health and Safety Rating System inspections under the Housing Act 2004.
Fire and rescue service inspectors use it as a reference when assessing compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in residential buildings.
Fire risk assessors use it as a reference when carrying out fire risk assessments for residential properties and when making recommendations about the fire safety measures required.
And landlords and managing agents use it as a practical guide to understanding what is expected of them in terms of fire safety provision for their residential properties.
The widespread adoption of the LACoRS guidance has helped to establish a degree of national consistency in the fire safety standards expected for residential properties, reducing the variability that might otherwise arise from differences in interpretation between local authorities and fire and rescue services.
What Are the Key Recommendations of the LACoRS Guidance?
The specific recommendations of the LACoRS guidance vary depending on the type of property being assessed, but a number of key themes run through the guidance and apply across most residential property types.
For fire detection and alarm systems, the guidance recommends systems designed and installed in accordance with BS 5839-6, with the specific grade and category of system determined by the size, layout, and risk profile of the property.
For most HMOs and converted properties, the guidance recommends a minimum of a Grade D, Category LD2 system, with mains-powered interlinked detectors providing coverage in all circulation areas and in high-risk rooms such as kitchens.
For larger or higher-risk properties, a more sophisticated system may be recommended, potentially including a Grade C or Grade B system with a central control panel.
For means of escape, the guidance recommends that escape routes should be protected from fire and smoke through the use of fire-resisting construction and self-closing fire doors, and that travel distances within the property should be within acceptable limits.
For fire doors, the guidance recommends that fire doors are installed to the appropriate standard, typically FD30S, and are maintained in good condition with functioning self-closing devices and intact seals.
For firefighting equipment, the guidance recommends the provision of appropriate firefighting equipment based on the risks present, typically a fire blanket in the kitchen and, for larger properties, portable fire extinguishers in communal areas.
And for fire safety management, the guidance recommends that landlords provide clear fire safety information to occupants, carry out regular property inspections, and maintain records of fire safety checks and maintenance.
The Relationship Between the LACoRS Guidance and Current Legislation
It is important to understand the relationship between the LACoRS guidance and the legislative framework for residential fire safety, which has changed significantly since the guidance was published in 2008.
The LACoRS guidance was published before the Fire Safety Act 2021 (c.24), the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/547), and the Building Safety Act 2022 (c.30) came into force.
These pieces of legislation have introduced significant new obligations for responsible persons and accountable persons in residential buildings, particularly multi-occupied residential buildings, that go beyond the recommendations of the LACoRS guidance.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 explicitly extended the scope of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to include the structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors of multi-occupied residential buildings.
The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced specific new requirements for responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings, including mandatory fire door inspection frequencies, requirements for the provision of fire safety information to residents, and additional obligations for buildings over 11 metres and 18 metres in height.
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced the new higher-risk buildings regime, with its associated accountable person duties, safety case requirements, and golden thread obligations for buildings of 18 metres or more in height or seven or more storeys.
The LACoRS guidance therefore needs to be read in the context of this more recent legislative framework, and it should not be treated as a complete or up-to-date statement of the fire safety obligations applicable to residential properties.
Where the recommendations of the LACoRS guidance fall short of the requirements of current legislation, the legislative requirements take precedence.
And where current legislation imposes obligations that go beyond the recommendations of the LACoRS guidance, those legislative obligations must be met regardless of what the guidance says.
Is the LACoRS Guidance Still Relevant?
Despite being published in 2008 and predating several significant legislative developments, the LACoRS Housing Fire Safety guidance remains a relevant and widely used reference document for fire safety in residential properties.
Its practical, risk-based approach to fire safety in existing residential buildings, and its detailed recommendations on fire detection, means of escape, fire doors, and fire safety management, continue to provide a useful framework for landlords, local authority officers, and fire risk assessors working with residential properties.
It is particularly valuable as a practical guide to the fire safety standards expected for HMOs and converted properties, where the interaction between the Housing Act 2004 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 can be complex and where the LACoRS guidance provides a degree of practical clarity that is not always easy to derive from the legislation itself.
However, it must always be read alongside the current legislative framework, and practitioners and landlords should ensure that they are aware of the more recent legislative developments that have added to or modified the obligations set out in the guidance.
Where Can the LACoRS Guidance Be Found?
The LACoRS Housing Fire Safety guidance is available to download from the website of the Chief Fire Officers Association and from a number of local authority and fire and rescue service websites.
It is also widely referenced in other fire safety guidance documents, including the sector-specific fire safety guides published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Landlords, managing agents, and fire safety professionals who work with residential properties should familiarise themselves with its contents, and should use it alongside the current legislative framework and any relevant local authority guidance when assessing and managing the fire safety of their properties.
The NFCC Guidance on Housing
It is also worth noting that the National Fire Chiefs Council has published updated guidance on fire safety in housing, including purpose-built blocks of flats and houses converted into flats, which supplements and in some respects supersedes elements of the LACoRS guidance.
The NFCC guidance reflects the legislative developments that have occurred since 2008, including the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and provides updated recommendations on fire detection, means of escape, fire doors, and fire safety management for residential buildings.
Landlords and managing agents should ensure that they are familiar with the current NFCC housing guidance as well as the LACoRS guide, and should take both into account when assessing and managing the fire safety of their residential properties.
We Can Help
At ESI: Fire Safety, we carry out fire risk assessments for residential properties of all types, including HMOs, purpose-built blocks of flats, converted properties, and other forms of residential accommodation, applying the recommendations of the LACoRS guidance and the current legislative framework to provide comprehensive and compliant assessments.
We work with landlords, managing agents, freeholders, and responsible persons to ensure that their properties meet the fire safety standards expected by local authorities, fire and rescue services, and the courts, and we provide clear, practical recommendations on the measures needed to address any deficiencies identified.
If you manage a residential property and are unsure whether it meets the fire safety standards required by the LACoRS guidance and current legislation, get in touch with our team today.
Further Reading and Key Legislation:
LACoRS Housing Fire Safety Guidance (2008): available via NFCC and local authority websites
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (SI 2005/1541): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made
Housing Act 2004: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/contents
Fire Safety Act 2021 (c.24): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/24/contents/enacted
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/547): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/547/contents/made
Building Safety Act 2022 (c.30): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/30/contents/enacted
NFCC Housing Fire Safety Guidance: https://nfcc.org.uk
BS 5839-6:2019 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings: https://www.bsigroup.com
BS 8214:2016 Timber-based fire door assemblies: https://www.bsigroup.com
GOV.UK Fire Safety guidance for residential buildings: https://www.gov.uk/fire-safety-law
This post is intended as a general guide. The fire safety standards applicable to residential properties are complex and have evolved significantly in recent years. Always seek advice from a qualified fire safety professional for guidance specific to your property and circumstances.
