Emergency lighting is the set of lights that kick in when the power drops, the ones that keep a stairwell or corridor lit long enough for everyone to get out. In a normal house it is rarely needed. In a house of multiple occupation, or a block with shared hallways, it is often a legal must, and it is one of the things a fire risk assessment picks up on quickly.
Which rented properties need it
The trigger is usually the escape route. If people have to travel through a shared hallway, corridor or stairwell to get out, and a power cut would leave that route pitch black, then emergency lighting comes into play. That covers most HMOs and a lot of converted blocks of flats. A self-contained house or flat with its own door onto the street normally does not need it.
The duty sits under fire safety law, and the detail comes from your fire risk assessment. If you run an HMO, the council will expect to see emergency lighting where the layout calls for it, and it often forms part of the licence conditions.
What a system involves
Emergency lights come in two flavours. Maintained fittings are on all the time and stay lit when the mains fails. Non-maintained ones sit dark until the power goes, then light up. You will also see illuminated exit signs above final doors and at points where the route changes direction.
The whole job is to light the way out, so fittings go along corridors, over stairs, at changes of level and above the final exit. The standard most installers work to, BS 5266, expects the lights to run for around three hours on their own battery. That gives people time to leave and, if it comes to it, the fire service time to work.
How often it should be tested
There are two checks, and they run on different clocks. Once a month you do a short function test, which means simulating a power cut and walking round to see that every fitting comes on. Once a year there is a full-duration test, where the system runs on battery for its whole rated time to prove the batteries still hold up. Both go in a logbook, and that logbook is the first thing an inspector asks for.
The annual test is the one landlords skip, usually because it needs someone on site for the full rundown and a check that everything recharges afterwards. Skip it and you have no proof the batteries will last when they are needed.
Why it is worth staying on top of
A missing or broken emergency light is a common finding on HMO inspections, and it can hold up a licence. It also shows up on fire risk assessments, which you are expected to keep current. And there is the obvious point that a dark stairwell during a fire is exactly the situation this kit exists to prevent.
If you are not certain whether your HMO needs emergency lighting, or you just want the monthly and annual checks taken off your plate, it is worth talking to an electrician who works with rented property. We handle this for landlords across Liverpool and the wider North West, from working out what a building needs to ongoing emergency light testing and record keeping.
Common questions
Does a small HMO really need emergency lighting?
It depends on the layout more than the number of tenants. If there is a shared escape route that would be dark in a power cut, the answer is usually yes. A fire risk assessment will tell you for certain, and it is cheaper to ask than to fail an inspection.
Can I do the monthly test myself?
Yes, the monthly function test is simple enough for a landlord or manager to do, as long as you record it. The annual full-duration test is better left to an electrician, since it checks the batteries properly and confirms everything resets afterwards.