pharrison Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 I just have a query regarding call point testing. I have a fire alarm that is connected to 4 flats within a block. The alarm is located in a public hallway where there is 1 call point. There are other call points but they are located within the flats. 2 flats use this hallway and 2 flats are located around the back of the building and have their own individual entrances. I just wanted to know where I stand with the weekly call point testing and also gaining access to tenants accommodation which they don't always give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyB Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Is this a HMO, converted house or purpose built flats? First question would be does it even need the alarm (I'm guessing it's a conversion so requires the system but it's not unknown for OTT systems to be put in). If the system is required for the protection of relevant persons under the Fire Safety Order then it has to be maintained correctly so the call points and more importantly the detectors inside flats that are off the common system must be accessed for maintenance - even if you have to resort to legal action to effect entry under the lease terms. A very large apartment block in a major city that I dealt with in the past has this issue, but with domestic sprinklers - the valves for each flats system had been put inside each flat rather than a meter cupboard off the corridor so access for maintenance was difficult but the landlord/freeholder was facing prosecution if they didn't do this even if they could only get to force entry to do this via the courts (the sprinklers were also part of the communal fire strategy rather than just individual flat protection so the Fire Safety Order applied ). Even if a communal system is required it's an odd set up to have call points in the flats, as part of a FRA review I'd ask the design to be reviewed to see if the call points can be removed from the actual flats, meaning you only have to get in once a year to test the detector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharrison Posted January 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 Its a converted house but with 2 additional units built at the back. I presume from what I've read that if it had just been the converted house with 2 flats in it then a hard wired interconnected smoke alarm system would have done, but because there are 2 additional flats on the back of the building then a fire alarm system is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyB Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 From the description I'd need to see it to judge. If the flats are on the rear and have separate entrances it doesn't automatically require a full system but without seeing it couldn't be sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west55 Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 Hello, I live in a converted building which comprises of two combined terrace houses (A and B) that resulted into 14 flats, of which 11 share a common entrance from the ground floor of terrace house A, and the 11 flats are spread across 5 floors from the ground (1 flat), 1st (2 flats), mezzanine (1 flat), 2nd (2 flats), 3rd (2 flats), 4th (2 flats), and 5th (1 flat) floors. The remaining 3 flats have their own private entrance. One of them has its entrance from the ground floor of the terraced house B, and the other two flats are basement flats located at the basements of A and B. We plan to install a fire alarm system inside the entrance of the building A, We also plan to instal heat sensors and sounders in eaach of the 11 flats sharing building A's common entrance. Shoudl we also put heat sensors and sounders in the other three flats that have their own private entrance and do not share any common area with the other 11 flats? The three flats are located at the entire basement of the building (A and B), as well as half of the ground floor of the building (only B), and all other 11 flats are located above them. Should there be a fire in one of these three flats, I presume that the residents in the rest of the buidling should be alerted. What do you think? Thanks, West Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyB Posted February 15, 2019 Report Share Posted February 15, 2019 You only usually need an alarm system if the premises conversion doesn't meet the stay put construction requirements - which is usually the case in house conversions. In which case you would usually need full coverage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west55 Posted February 18, 2019 Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 ok thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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