HMO fire safety upgrades across Tyne and Wear

In short: HMO fire safety upgrades bring a shared house up to the fire standard its size and layout need. We carry this out across Tyne and Wear, priced against the HMO rules for England and the council’s own standards.

Nation: England
Pricing region: North East
Postcode areas: NE, SR, DH
Main towns: Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, South Shields, Gateshead, Washington

What do HMO fire safety upgrades in Tyne and Wear involve?

Fire doors with closers and seals
Fire-resisting linings to the escape route
Fire stopping of service holes
Works priced against your fire risk assessment
Thumb-turn locks on exit doors
Commissioning certificates and a handover pack

Which rules apply in Tyne and Wear?

The Fire Safety Order 2005 applies to the common parts of HMOs, enforced by the fire and rescue authority.
Licences last up to 5 years and carry conditions on gas and electrical safety, alarms, room sizes and waste.
Building regulations cover structural changes, new partitions, ensuite drainage, fire-resisting construction and notifiable electrical work.
Smoke alarms on every storey with living accommodation and CO alarms by fixed combustion appliances (other than gas cookers) are required by law.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences such as running an unlicensed HMO.

Councils in England can add additional licensing and Article 4 directions on top of the national rules. Check the council’s website for the exact address before you buy or start work.

How much do HMO fire safety upgrades cost in Tyne and Wear?

Regional adjustment for North East. 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	£740 – £1,850	house
Panel alarm system (Grade A type), larger HMO	£1,750 – £4,500	£1,600 – £4,150	house
FD30S fire door leaf into an existing frame, with seals, closer and hinges, fitted	£300 – £600	£280 – £550	door
New FD30S fire doorset with frame, fitted	£600 – £1,300	£550 – £1,200	door
Protected route upgrades: fire-resisting linings, fire stopping, lighting (three-storey house, our estimate)	£2,000 – £6,000	£1,850 – £5,500	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 Tyne and Wear

Questions about HMO fire safety upgrades in Tyne and Wear

Do all doors need to be fire doors?

Not always. Guidance usually focuses on doors to rooms that open onto the escape route. The assessment sets out which doors need upgrading.

What fire safety does an HMO legally need?

The law asks for the house to be reasonably safe, with suitable fire precautions for its size and layout. The detail usually comes from a fire risk assessment and council guidance, so the right answer for a three-storey seven-bed house is very different from a two-storey three-bed one.

Do you carry out HMO fire safety upgrades across Tyne and Wear?

Yes, across the whole of Tyne and Wear, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, South Shields.

Who licenses HMOs in Tyne and Wear?

HMOs in Tyne and Wear are licensed by the local council for the address. Where an area has several councils, each runs its own licensing and planning policies.