This legislation is there to ensure that furniture and furnishings are fire resistant and will not produce noxious smoke in the event of a fire. If required, the furniture or fittings may need to pass a match-resistance or cigarette-resistance test.

All furniture or furnishings that you supply must be marked with a label indicating that they comply with the regulations. Unfortunately, these labels often get lost or become unreadable - such items will not be compliant, even if they were manufactured to the correct specifications.

You must remove any items that do not comply with the regulations before any tenants move in.

Items Covered

The following items are covered by the regulations:
Sofas and chairs
Beds, headboards and mattresses
Sofa-beds and futons
Nursery furniture
Garden furniture, which is also suitable for use inside
Scatter cushions and seat pads
Pillows
Loose and stretch covers for furniture
Futons
Headboards
Scatter cushions
Bean bags

Exempt Items

The following items are exempt from the regulations:
Bed linen (including duvets and pillowcases)
Loose covers for mattresses
Curtains
Carpets
Furniture that was manufactured before 1 January 1950 (unless it has been re-upholstered since then). This is because most of the materials that cause fire were not in use prior to 1950.