Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Team from a report by Letting Agent Today. Read the original article for full details.
Safety Warning to Managing Agents Over New-Build Flat Fires
More than 1,200 fires were recorded in purpose-built flats across England where alarms were absent, according to data cited by Letting Agent Today. On 113 occasions, these fires resulted in at least one fatality or casualty.
The analysis was carried out by safety software supplier Drax Technology and covers residential purpose-built flats for the period April 2025 to March 2026. In total, 1,205 fires were recorded in such buildings where alarms were absent.
The figures have prompted a safety warning to managing agents, who oversee many purpose-built flat developments across England. The data points to a gap in alarm provision in these buildings, with the consequences in a number of cases proving fatal or causing injury.
For letting agents and inventory clerks, the findings underline the importance of alarm provision and safety checks when managing or inspecting flats in purpose-built blocks. While the source report focuses on managing agents, the implications for those involved in the lettings and property management process are significant, particularly where responsibility for communal and in-unit safety systems overlaps.
Managing agents are being urged to take note of the warning, though the source does not specify what remedial steps are being recommended or by whom. Letting Agent Today's report sets out the scale of the issue as detailed in the Drax Technology analysis.
Source: Letting Agent Today