Fire safety concept in condominiums and housing associations
2025-09-08 Academic News
The board of a condominium or housing association has a clear responsibility for ensuring fire safety in the building. This follows, among other things, from the Fire and Explosion Protection Act, Sections 6 and 7, and the Fire Prevention Regulations, Sections 4 and 5. The law requires the owner and board to ensure that the building is safe, and that necessary preventive measures have been established and documented.
What is a fire safety concept?
A fire safety concept is a comprehensive description of the building’s fire safety. It shows how the building is designed and secured, which technical and organizational measures that apply, and how these are to be followed up over time. For the board, an updated fire safety concept is an important management tool – both to meet statutory requirements and to create safety for residents and guests.
What is the responsibility of the board – and chairman?
As chairman or board member, you have a legal responsibility to ensure that fire safety in the building is maintained. If the required measures are not followed up, this can have serious consequences:
🪛 Supervision and orders
The fire and rescue service can issue orders for improvements, and the board must then follow up within deadlines.
📊 Liability
If lack of fire safety leads to injury of people or damage to the building, the board – or individual members – can be held financially liable.
📚 Criminal liability
According to § 42 of the Fire and Explosion Prevention Act, a breach of the law’s requirements can result in fines or imprisonment in the event of gross negligence.
❎ Responsibility to the residents
The board is elected to safeguard the community. Failure to follow up on fire safety can weaken both trust and safety among the residents.
An updated and documented fire safety concept is therefore not just a formality – it is an important tool for protecting both residents and the board itself from serious consequences.
Why should have an updated fire safety concept?
The duties of the board are clearly described in law and regulations. The challenge is often to ensure that these requirements are met in practice, and to be able to document it in a clear manner. Without an updated fire safety concept, the board lacks:
- Overview of the building’s actual fire safety measures
- A plan for how the measures will be followed up and maintained
- Documentation that shows that the board fulfills its responsibilities towards residents and authorities
With a comprehensive fire safety concept, the board gets both an overview and a concrete management tool.
How can we help?
Our fire safety consultants at PID Solutions assist boards of condominiums and housing associations with:
- Mapping the building’s fire safety
- Preparing and updating the fire safety concept
- Providing the board with a concrete plan for follow-up and maintenance
Get a full overview, safety for the residents - and certainty that the board fulfills its statutory responsibilities.
