For landlords and property investors operating in West Sussex, keeping up with local housing regulations is a full-time job. If you own a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Bognor Regis, the regulatory landscape has recently undergone a massive shift. Arun District Council’s new Additional HMO Licensing Scheme is now in full force, and its primary focus is property safety.

For years, smaller shared houses slipped under the radar of mandatory national licensing. However, with the council heavily cracking down on housing standards in specific Bognor Regis wards, hundreds of local landlords are suddenly finding themselves in urgent need of property upgrades. At the very top of the council’s compliance checklist? Fire doors.

At Elite Fire Door Installations, we are helping West Sussex landlords navigate these new regulations. Here is everything you need to know about the Arun District Council changes and why upgrading your fire doors is now a non-negotiable legal requirement.

The Arun District Additional HMO Licensing Scheme Explained

Historically, you only needed a mandatory HMO licence if your property housed five or more unrelated people. However, Arun District Council recognised that smaller HMOs and poorly converted flats were posing significant health and safety risks to tenants.

To combat this, the council introduced the Additional HMO Licensing Scheme, which specifically targets the River, Marine, and Hotham wards in Bognor Regis.

If you own a property in these wards that is let to just three or four unrelated occupiers who share a kitchen or bathroom, you are now legally required to hold a licence. To obtain and maintain this licence, your property must meet stringent HMO management and safety standards. The grace period has ended, and the council’s full non-compliance penalty schedule is now active.

Why Fire Doors Are the Key to Your HMO Licence

When Arun District Council housing officers inspect a newly licensable HMO, they are meticulously checking the property’s escape routes. In a shared house where multiple independent tenants are cooking and using electrical appliances in their rooms, the risk of fire is significantly amplified.

To pass your compliance survey and secure your HMO licence, standard internal timber doors will no longer suffice. You are legally required to install certified FD30 fire doors (doors guaranteed to hold back a fire for a minimum of 30 minutes) on all high-risk rooms—most notably kitchens—and on all bedroom doors that open onto the primary escape route.

To meet West Sussex HMO standards, these fire doors must be equipped with:

• Intumescent Strips and Cold Smoke Seals: These expand under extreme heat to seal the gap between the door and the frame, preventing lethal, toxic smoke from flooding the hallway before the fire even reaches the door.
• Overhead Self-Closing Mechanisms: A fire door cannot protect an escape route if a tenant leaves it open. Hydraulic closers ensure the door shuts automatically, maintaining the building’s fire compartments.
• Fire-Rated Hinges: Standard hinges will quickly melt in a blaze, causing the heavy door to collapse. Fire doors require at least three high-grade, fire-certified hinges to remain structurally sound.

The Cost of Non-Compliance in Bognor Regis

Arun District Council is taking these new safety standards incredibly seriously. Attempting to save money by fitting substandard doors, using general handymen instead of fire door specialists, or ignoring the licensing scheme altogether carries devastating risks.

Operating an unlicensed HMO, or failing to meet the fire safety conditions attached to your licence, is a criminal offence. Landlords caught flouting these rules face civil penalty notices of up to £30,000 per offence, Rent Repayment Orders (where you must refund up to 12 months of rent to your tenants), and entry onto the national database of rogue landlords. More importantly, inadequate fire doors put your tenants’ lives at direct risk.

Secure Your Licence with Elite Fire Door Installations

The margins for error in fire safety compliance are incredibly slim. A gap of just a few millimetres too wide between the door and the frame is enough for a housing officer to fail your property.

At Elite Fire Door Installations, we specialise in B2B fire safety solutions for HMOs and small commercial properties across Sussex. We understand exactly what Arun District Council inspectors are looking for.

Whether you are converting a new property in the Marine ward or desperately need to upgrade an existing three-bed shared house in Hotham to meet the new licensing criteria, we provide a complete, stress-free service:

• Pre-Licensing Compliance Surveys: We will inspect your current doors, gaps, seals, and closers to provide a definitive report on what needs upgrading before the council inspector arrives.
• Expert Installation: We install fully certified FD30 fire doors, ensuring perfect fitment, legally compliant gaps, and correct installation of all intumescent seals and hardware.
• Repairs and Maintenance: If your existing fire doors have dropped on their hinges or suffered damage from heavy tenant use, we offer rapid repairs to keep your property legally sound.

Do not risk your investment, your rental income, or your tenants’ safety. If you own an HMO in Bognor Regis, now is the time to act.

Contact Elite Fire Door Installations today to book your Bognor Regis HMO compliance survey and ensure your property meets the highest local safety standards.