This week, the Home Office has launched a new Fire Reform White Paper to outline the additional implementation of the robust post-Grenfell fire safety regulations. The paper outlines new legislative requirements for residential properties in addition to the Fire Safety Act 2021. These complex additional measures put the majority of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations into law. This will primarily affect high rise blocks, property owners and the fire services.
In practical terms, the main measures go beyond the scope of External Wall Safety Inspections (EWS1) to “ensure people are safe in their homes and places of work”. Among additional precautions, fire and rescue services training will be more standardised and closely monitored.
These new measures include:
- Service providers will also need to be supplied with detailed information in advance to inform a response to a high rise fire
- There will also be a minimum standard for checks on all fire doors for high rise blocks
- Plus, there is also an ongoing consultation on Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing in order to aid the most vulnerable
The industry-wide advice is strongly leaning towards ensuring that property management teams are fully prepared before these new measures come into full force. Failure to comply could not only result in redress but also impact the viability of investment within the buildings for sale or rental purposes, as consumer regulations are also being reviewed. Sean Hooker of the Property Redress Scheme said: “Ignoring these changes will lead to claims for redress and in the extreme cases a criminal prosecution – so do not take these responsibilities lightly.”
Where Does This Leave Property Managers?
With proper disclosure and tight property management, real estate firms can operate with the knowledge that their clients are being taken care of as best possible. At Blocks Online, we are here to work with you through this challenging time with our compliance-friendly Cloud-based property management platform. Our expert solutions can be accessed remotely 24/7 by management teams through a secure login and are automatically backed up.
By using our multi-functional centralised property management system, data can be captured, stored and made available for compliance purposes. Mass leaseholder communications can be automated and logged via a leaseholder portal in addition to contractor ticketing. Payments and reports are also closely tracked, so a property manager need not worry about spending excessive amounts of additional time logging communications.
The real estate industry has faced many challenges to its business operations over previous years. But looking after anything from a few properties to an expansive property portfolio need not be challenging when done with the right property management platform. Blocks Online clients the Urang Group said: “Because it was designed by experienced property managers it means that the system is intuitive and easy to use and helps keep us compliant and up to date with relevant legal requirements.”
Setting yourself up with Blocks Online is easy and our property management platform interfaces are intuitively designed so that you can get going as quickly as possible. Contact us today for your free demo.
