Fire Safety in houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) has long been seen as a 'hot potato', given that no clear definition of an HMO exists in fire and housing legislation in England and Wales and the lack of a consistent enforcement approach in these premises. Even the Government has admitted that HMO safety is a source of confusion - the Minister of State of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions stated in 1999 that existing HMO legislation is largely unworkable. However, changes aimed at remedying this situation are now in the pipeline. The Housing Bill, currently passing through Parliament, will enable local authority enforcers to undertake evidence-based risk assessments and identify more effectively the risks in HMOs and other dwellings. In addition, HMOs are expected to receive much attention in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's (ODPM's) review of the fire aspects of the Building Regulations in England and Wales.
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