Regulations on Furniture and Furnishings in a Rental Property

From the 1st January 1997 all furniture in a rental property must comply with the 1993 amendments to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. These safety regulations extend the scope of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 (CPA) to cover the supplying (hiring or lending) of specified goods (upholstered furniture and certain furnishings) “in the course of business”.

The letting out of rental property is classified as ‘business’ and therefore the furniture and furnishings supplied by a landlord in a rental property come under these regulations.

The safety regulations apply to the following furniture provided in a rental property:

• Arm chairs, three piece suites, sofas, sofa beds, futons and other convertible furniture.
• Beds, Bed bases and headboards, mattresses, divans and pillows.
• Nursery furniture
• Garden furniture which could be used indoors
• Loose, stretch and fitted covers for furniture, scatter cushions, seat pads and pillows.

The furniture items excluded from the regulations are:
• Antique furniture or furniture manufactured before 1950
• Bed clothes and duvets
• Loose mattress covers
• Pillowcases
• Sleeping bags
• Curtains
• Carpets

Compliance with the regulations on furniture

For furniture in a rental property to comply with the regulations they must carry a manufacturer’s label which must be permanent and non-detachable.

• All upholstered items must have fire resistant filling material.
• All upholstered items must pass the “match resistance test” as prescribed.
• All upholstered items must also past the “cigarette test” as prescribed.
• Bed bases and mattresses are not required to bear a permanent label but compliance will be indicated if the item has a label stating that it meets BS7177