No – there are no regulations that specifically apply to curtains or lampshades in rental accommodation. Under The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 a landlord acting ‘in the course of business’ should take steps to be aware of the risks associated with the use of supplied products and take appropriate action to avoid such risks. In this context, curtains and lampshades could be considered ‘products’ supplied to the tenant (a consumer).
Fire
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 do not apply to curtains and lampshades. BS 5867: Part 2: 2008 applies to curtains used in the non-domestic sector. The landlord would need to assess the fire risk of any curtains or lampshades they supply in their property. Options include:
- Insisting the curtain supplier supplies curtains compliant with BS 5867: Part 2: 2008 – Type B;
- Treating any curtain and lampshade fabric to make it fire retardant;
- Not supply curtains to the tenants and insisting the tenants only use curtains compliant with BS 5867: Part 2: 2008 – Type B or use fire retardant treated fabric.
Safety
Things to consider are:
- Ensure curtain poles and rails are fixed firmly;
- Where internal window blinds are installed in premises where children 0 to 42 months are (ever) likely to have access or be present, ensure they comply with the EN 13120 standard.
Further Reading
Landlords’ Complete Guide to Health & Safety {Jungle Property publication included in Landlord Information Pack}
Landlords Safety Considerations for Internal Window Blinds {Jungle Property blog article}
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988
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