HMO fire safety upgrades across County Antrim

In short: HMO fire safety upgrades bring a shared house up to the fire standard its size and layout need. Across County Antrim, the work is planned around Northern Ireland’s HMO rules and the standards the local council publishes.

Nation: Northern Ireland
Pricing region: Northern Ireland
Postcode areas: BT
Main towns: Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Castlereagh, Carrickfergus, Ballymena

What do HMO fire safety upgrades in County Antrim involve?

Fire doors with closers and seals
Commissioning certificates and a handover pack
Thumb-turn locks on exit doors
Works priced against your fire risk assessment
Interlinked smoke and heat detection
Emergency lighting where needed

Which rules apply in County Antrim?

Doors on protected routes are typically FD30 or FD30S, self-closing on three hinges; emergency lighting is required in HMOs of 4 or more storeys.
Licences usually last 5 years, and landlords must also register with the NI landlord registration scheme.
New HMOs need building control approval as well as planning permission.

In Northern Ireland, licensing is run centrally by the NI HMO Unit, and all new HMOs need planning permission and building control approval from the local council.

How much do HMO fire safety upgrades cost in County Antrim?

Regional adjustment for Northern Ireland. Planning budgets: see our prices page.
Item	UK typical	Local guide	Per
Interlinked mains alarm system (Grade D type), small HMO (our estimate from installer guides)	£800 – £2,000	£720 – £1,800	house
Panel alarm system (Grade A type), larger HMO	£1,750 – £4,500	£1,600 – £4,050	house
FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted	£300 – £600	£270 – £540	door
New FD30S fire doorset with frame, fitted	£600 – £1,300	£540 – £1,150	door
Protected route upgrades: fire-resisting linings, fire stopping, lighting (three-storey house, our estimate)	£2,000 – £6,000	£1,800 – £5,400	house

Typical time on site: 3–10 working days. For a figure for your house, try the guide-price tool.

HMO fire safety upgrades by town in County Antrim

Questions about HMO fire safety upgrades in County Antrim

Can you upgrade existing doors?

Sometimes, if the door and frame are sound. Often a certified fire door set is the cheaper and more reliable option.

Who writes the fire risk assessment?

You arrange it, through a competent assessor. We price and carry out the works it recommends and give you the evidence.

Do you carry out HMO fire safety upgrades across County Antrim?

Yes, across the whole of County Antrim, including Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Castlereagh.

Who licenses HMOs in County Antrim?

HMO licensing in County Antrim, as everywhere in Northern Ireland, is run by the NI HMO Unit at Belfast City Council. Planning and building control are handled by the local council.