How the Building Safety Act 2022 Changed Sprinkler Compliance for Leaseholders

The Building Safety Act 2022 has changed the way that many people think about fire safety in residential buildings.

For leaseholders though, the changes can sometimes feel a little confusing. Who is actually responsible for fire safety? Who looks after a sprinkler system that is already in place? And, more important for anyone that has to pay service charges, how much is all of this going to cost.

The thing is, the answers are not always as straightforward as we would like. One thing has become very clear though, and that’s that fire systems cannot simply be installed and then forgotten about later on. 

A fire sprinkler system in a residential building needs to be properly managed, maintained, and tested so that it does its job when the time comes. That’s where the Building Safety Act’s wider focus on accountability becomes especially important. 

A Greater Focus On Building Safety

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a new regulatory framework for certain higher risk buildings across England. Generally, the higher risk applies to buildings that meet specific height and use criteria, including some residential buildings that are at least seven storeys high. 

The legislation places a greater emphasis on clearly managing building safety risks and making sure it’s clear who is responsible for doing this. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean that an individual leaseholder is personally responsible for arranging every fire safety inspection in the building. 

When the property is a block of flats, the responsibility for communal fire safety systems might be with the freeholder, management company, or landlord, depending on the building and the arrangements of management. But, the legislation has made it harder for those in charge to take a laid back approach to the safety of the building.

Those responsible for managing risks need to have a strong understanding of the systems in place, and ensure that they are looked after well. 

For leaseholders, this should mean greater scrutiny of the safety measures that are protecting the building that they call home. 

What Does This Mean For Fire Sprinkler Systems?

It’s important to highlight here that the Building Safety Act does not mean that every flat or residential property must now have a fire sprinkler system installed. Requirements are different depending on the building, the age of the building, the use of the building, and the regulations that apply here. 

However, where a sprinkler system is already in place, the condition of it does matter. It’s not a system that you should install and forget, it’s a system that needs to be taken care of. Components can deteriorate over time, with sprinkler heads being obstructed or damaged, pressure changes, problems with valves, pipework problems, and more can all develop without being noticed. 

It’s for this reason that regular testing is so important. A professional test has been thoroughly designed to assess the relevant parts of the system and find any issues that could impact the performance. Depending on the installation, this might require:

• Visual inspections

• Flow and pressure checking

• Checks of alarms

• Check of flow switches

• Inspection of associated pumps and water supplies 

It’s about identifying potential problems before the system is needed, not to create extra work for those responsible. 

Why Leaseholders Should Care About Sprinkler Testing

It’s very easy to just assume that sprinkler testing is just an issue that the building manager has to deal with. Technically, an individual leaseholder may not be responsible for arranging tests for a communal system.

But, leaseholders still have a good reason to take an interest, and that’s the fact that fire safety can impact everyone that lives in a building.

If a sprinkler system serves communal areas, a problem with that system could impact you. Regular testing helps those that are responsible to identify problems and then arrange the needed repairs. 

If you are not sure who is responsible for servicing the sprinkler system in your block, it’s important to find out as soon as you can. 

How Often Should Fire Sprinklers Be Tested?

The specific requirement depends on the type of sprinkler system and the standard it was designed and maintained to follow. For example, annual testing is important for residential systems covered by BS 9251, while commercial and industrial systems have different inspection and maintenance requirements. 

It’s for this reason that it’s risky to assume that every sprinkler system should follow the same schedule. You should instead be doing your best to understand the system that you have got, and then seek advice from a qualified professional if you’re not sure about the servicing requirements for your specific system. A professional can help. 

How Much Is It Going To Cost Though?

The cost of sprinkler servicing matters whether you are a property manager working out the budget, or a leaseholder that is concerned about the service charge on the property. 

Sadly, we cannot give you an accurate idea of how much it’s going to cost, as the cost is going to depend on a number of factors. These include:

• The size and complexity of a system

• The number of components

• The type of property 

• Whether there are faults identified during inspection

And even more than this also. You should also make sure that you are separating the cost of routine testing from the cost of repairs. A service visit may identify a problem that needs work done, and then the work is going to be separate from this. 

The best way to know how much your system is going to cost is to book a professional assessment and quotation. 

When It’s Obvious, It Might Be Too Late

The Building Safety Act 2022 has helped bring building safety into the light, especially for those who are living in or managing high risk residential buildings. 

If your building has a fire sprinkler system, regular testing is an important part of making sure that it remains capable of doing its job, and getting residential sprinkler testing is going to be in your best interests. If you wait until a problem becomes obvious, it might well be too late.