Fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors
If you have fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors in your home, your landlord must put it right by law. Awaab's Law deadlines for this type of problem are being phased in by 2027, but your landlord's duty to repair applies now. How much you could claim depends on how long it lasted, how serious it was, and any effect on your health. Most cases take 8 to 20 weeks. There is no upfront cost.
The law behind this: Section 11, Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 + Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations 2015 + Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Symptoms
- Smoke alarm missing, not working, or the battery removed
- No carbon monoxide alarm in a room with a boiler, log burner, or gas fire
- A fire door that doesn't close by itself or doesn't seal shut
- Damaged self-closer, broken seal, or gaps around a fire door frame
- Escape routes or shared hallways blocked with rubbish or furniture
- A previous small fire or scorch damage never properly repaired
Health impact
- Smoke inhalation and burns if a fire does start
- Carbon monoxide poisoning where no working alarm is present
- Higher risk of a fire spreading before you can escape
- Stress and anxiety from feeling unsafe in your own home
Evidence to gather
- Press the test button on any alarm and photograph the result, or lack of a beep
- Photograph a fire door that won't close, plus any gaps, damaged seals, or a missing self-closer
- Note the date you reported it in writing and keep copies of every message to your landlord
Frequently asked questions
How much money can I claim for fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors?
How much you could get depends on how bad it is, how long it went on, and how it affected your health, so we cannot promise a figure. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
How long does a fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors claim take?
Most fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors claims take 8 to 20 weeks. Once you report the problem, Awaab's Law (Section 10A LTA 1985, started 27 October 2025) gives your landlord a reasonable time to act.
What proof do I need for fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors?
Photos and videos with the date on them. A note of when you told your landlord and what they said. A letter from your doctor if anyone has been ill.
Can I claim if I owe rent?
Yes. Owing rent does not stop you making a disrepair claim. They are separate things in law. We will talk through your situation honestly.
Is my landlord responsible for the smoke alarm?
Yes. Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations, your landlord must fit a working smoke alarm on every storey you live on, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a boiler, log burner, or gas fire. Once you report an alarm as faulty, they must repair or replace it. Councils can fine a landlord up to £5,000 for ignoring this.
What should I do if my fire door won't close properly?
Report it to your landlord in writing straight away. A fire door that doesn't close and seal on its own can let smoke spread fast, especially in a block of flats, so treat it as urgent. If they ignore a written report, your council's environmental health team can step in.
Can I claim compensation for fire-safety failures?
If your landlord ignored a written report about a broken fire door, a missing or faulty alarm, or a blocked escape route, that can form part of a housing disrepair claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669 and we will tell you honestly if you have a case. For a bigger building-wide problem, such as cladding, that is usually a matter for the building's responsible person, not a disrepair claim against your own landlord.
Read more about fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors
Put it in writing
A written record helps your case. Copy a free, plain-English template, fill in the brackets, and send it to your landlord.
Fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors at your landlord
Awaab's Law deadlines and your rights for fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors with these social landlords.
Fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors where you live
Your rights for fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors in these areas.
This is worth a claim
Tenants are owed real money when a landlord leaves problems like fire safety, smoke alarms and fire doors unfixed. This is what landlords were made to pay across England in one recent year, and it is what we help you claim.
- £5.4m
- compensation ordered for tenants in one year
- 26,901
- orders made to put things right
- 578
- cases had orders over £2,000
- £32,000
- the largest single award
Figures from the independent statutory review, Annual Complaints Review 2024 to 2025. These are sector-wide outcomes for social housing tenants in England.
By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.