A JOKE FOR APRIL FOOLS DAY?

What's the difference between a rented terraced house shared by a group of students or friends ... and an 800-foot office block?

Answer... the office block won't need a fire certificate after April next year.

For London Docklands' Canary Wharf Tower - one of the tallest office blocks in Europe and home to shops, restaurants and five national newspapers - will fall under new fire regulations. And responsibility for the new 'risk assessment' system shifts to the occupiers themselves or their employers.

Meanwhile... a privately rented terraced house will be wrapped in complex legislation by the government's new Fire Safety Order and the Housing Act which is due for implementation later this year.

For that, there will be two enforcers - with the fire authority responsible for monitoring common areas such as hallway, stairs and shared kitchens and local authorities certifying the private bedroom quarters.

That's because the common areas are being classed as non-domestic premises - so the registered landlord will be responsible for his own risk assessment and for meeting his fire regulation obligations. And the property will also be monitored by environmental health officers.

"It's complete nonsense," says Richard Jones - solicitor for the Residential Landlords Association whose members own over 100,000 rented properties throughout the country. "We have challenged the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on this because we obviously need clarification - unless, of course, legislation coming in April is to be treated as an April Fool joke.

"It is yet another example of regulatory overkill and a lack of joined-up thinking by this Government."

The Residential Landlords Association (tel: 0845 666 5000) is a leading national organisation for professional landlords, residential property investors and self-managers - with members owning over 100,000 properties in the UK private rented sector. The range of members' services - on www.rla.org.uk - includes legal advice, insurance, financial services, credit referencing and training. For tenants there is www.tenantdocs.co.uk - where tips include a free download of the RLA's award-winning Plain English tenancy agreement. The RLA operates a web-based property search on www.homes2rent.net and publishes the bi-monthly Residential Property Investor magazine.

For further press information and interviews please contact

Brian Johnson at Powell Communications - tel: 0161 834 9836, fax: 0161 839 2660; brian.johnson@powell-pr.co.uk