Compliant fire alarm systems and emergency lighting for HMOs, offices, retail and commercial premises — from the initial risk-based design through installation, commissioning and annual servicing.
Design, installation, commissioning, testing and certification of fire alarm systems (BS 5839 Parts 1 and 6) and emergency escape lighting (BS 5266) for residential (HMO), commercial and light-industrial premises.
HMO landlords, office and retail owners, small hospitality operators (pubs, cafes, restaurants), light industrial units, and letting agents managing HMO properties requiring annual certification.
Required for any HMO (typically Grade D or higher depending on category), any non-domestic premises with public access, and any workplace subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Annual servicing and certification is a legal requirement.
Fire is the risk no responsible owner or landlord ignores. Compliance is a legal requirement, but the real reason to do it right is that the system needs to work on the one night it matters.
The reason to book proper work now — instead of putting it off — comes down to what happens when you don't.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, failing to install or maintain a fire alarm and emergency lighting system where required is prosecutable — with penalties including unlimited fines and imprisonment for serious breaches.
Cheshire East HMO licences require a compliant BS 5839 Grade D or A system. Without a valid certificate, the licence is at risk.
Commercial insurers require evidence of annual testing. A lapsed certificate is grounds to decline a claim, including business interruption.
Battery-back systems, in particular, quietly fail without regular testing. The alarm that doesn't sound is worse than no alarm at all.
We assess the premises — occupancy, layout, escape routes, existing systems — and recommend the correct grade and category under BS 5839.
Full system design with device schedule, panel specification, and emergency lighting layout. Priced with installation, commissioning and first-year certification.
Cable and devices installed to spec, staged around business hours where practical. Existing systems interfaced where possible.
Every device tested at commissioning — smoke, heat, CO, call points, sounders, VADs. Emergency luminaires tested for the correct duration.
BS 5839 and BS 5266 certificates issued, log book left on site, and annual servicing diarised so renewal never lapses.
Grade D or A, Category L1/L2/L3/L4 or LD1/LD2/LD3 — chosen against the risk, not sold up to it.
Full BS 5839 and BS 5266 compliance, ready to hand to a fire officer without hesitation.
Once installed, we service and re-certify annually — one contractor, one call, no lapsed dates.
HMO landlords: fire alarm, emergency lighting, EICR and PAT delivered as a compliance pack.
BS 5839 requires a log book. We leave one and complete every entry during our visits.
Kentec, Advanced, Apollo and Hochiki — manufacturers with proven service records, not throwaway consumer kit.
Free written quote within 24 hours. Fully insured to £10m. Workmanship guaranteed.
Fire alarm and emergency lighting is one of the few areas of electrical work where compliance and safety are inseparable — the system either works when needed or it doesn't. Grade, category, device placement, cable routing, testing regime and log-book keeping all matter, and all get inspected in the event of an incident.
BS 5839 Part 1 covers non-domestic (commercial, industrial, HMO Grade A). Part 6 covers domestic and HMO Grade D. Grades D (mains-powered smoke/heat detectors with battery backup, interlinked) suit smaller HMOs; Grade A (control panel with addressable devices) suit larger HMOs and commercial. We identify the correct grade against the property risk and licence conditions.
Emergency luminaires — self-contained or central-battery — illuminate escape routes during a power failure. Standard rating is three hours' duration. Placement is at every change of level, exit, junction and any point where the route is not obvious. Fittings are commissioned by three-hour duration test and re-certified annually.
HMO fire alarm requirements vary by category and size — a small HMO (single-family let converted to five bedrooms) typically needs Grade D with interlinked mains smokes and heat detectors; a large HMO or bedsit HMO needs Grade A with a proper panel and manual call points. We work directly to Cheshire East licence conditions and hand over documentation the local authority accepts on first submission.
For commercial premises we design to the Fire Risk Assessment — usually Category L3 (life protection, all escape routes and rooms opening onto them) or L4 (escape routes only). Manual call points at every exit and floor change, sounders sized for coverage, and clear zone plans on the panel.
BS 5839 requires periodic inspection at least every six months and full annual servicing. BS 5266 requires monthly function tests and annual three-hour duration tests. We handle the annual servicing on a rolling schedule and log every visit — landlords and business owners get certificates and log-book updates emailed the same day.
Anything else? Give us a call — we'll talk it through in plain English.
07886 780653From £60 for annual servicing and re-certification of an existing system. New installations quoted individually — depends on grade, category and premises size.
Yes — every HMO requires a compliant BS 5839 system. Grade depends on size and category — we identify the correct one during the initial visit.
Weekly test by the responsible person on site (recorded in the log book), periodic service every six months, and full annual certification. All bundled into our servicing agreement.
Yes — BS 5266 design, install and annual three-hour duration testing. Usually delivered alongside the fire alarm to keep servicing on one visit.
Yes — we can service and certify existing systems from any manufacturer, provided the design meets current standards. Where the existing system is non-compliant, we quote for the upgrade.
Small HMO — one to two days. Larger commercial installs quoted with a clear day count. Wherever possible we stage the work around business or tenancy conditions.
Legal risk under the Fire Safety Order, insurance risk on any claim, and licence risk for HMO landlords. We're happy to quote for regularisation — often faster and cheaper than owners expect.
Yes — required in every room with a fuel-burning appliance in rented properties. Interlinked into the wider system where applicable.
Based in Crewe — covering every town within a 20-mile radius. Not sure if we cover you? Call and we'll tell you straight.
Free written quote within 24 hours. NICEIC-approved. Backed by our workmanship guarantee.
