From 7 April 2011, all residential properties in Wales that are new build or converted after this date are required to have an automatic fire suppression system installed (sprinkler system).
The legislation bringing in this requirement is the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011, and as the title suggests, the provisions only apply to wales.
The measures apply to building work comprising of:
- constructing a building for use as a residence, or a number of residences
- converting a building, or part of a building, to use as a residence, or a number of residences
- subdividing one or more existing residences to create one or more new residences
- amalgamating existing residences to create a new residence or new residences.
[r.1(2)]
Residence means any:–
- dwelling-house
- flat
- care home
- residential accommodation for pupils or students of a school, college, university or other educational institution
- room or group of rooms within a building if that room or those rooms are intended to be used for living and sleeping by a person or persons other than as part of a single household which occupies the whole of that building and where a building contains one or more residences includes any part of that building intended to be used by those occupying that residence or those residences for purposes ancillary to that occupation in common with one another or with other users of the building.
It would therefore seem to apply if a landlord has a single dwelling and building works are carried out to convert the building into bedsits where the rooms are to be let on individual tenancies.
The enforcement of the measure is by the local authority, and a person failing to comply with the measure may be fined up to £5,000.
