Fire regs for exit route through kitchen. Stairs open into ktchen

The distinction here is between 'fire regs' and 'fire safety'. 1. Fire Regs - If you are the owner occupier of the subject property, with no let rooms, then the regs that did apply when built, wouldn't usually be chased now. Local Authority Building Control are not normally interested after a year of completion! The only other regs which are applicable is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), this applies to ALL domestic premises, whether let or not. The local Environmental Health Officers (Private Sector Housing) apply this to let properties generally, and I have very rarely known them to use it for owner occupiers. It's a different ball game if you let any part of the property of course. The Regulatory Reform (fire safety) Order 2005 applies if it's a multi occupancy let, or holiday let etc and, as I say, the HHSRS always applies. HHSRS Hazard Band No.24 is 'Fire'. A straight forward single room or whole house let means you must consider fire safety, as well as other regs. 2. Fire Safety - it seems you have already hinted on the potential fire safety concerns in this property. To have to pass through a 'high risk' area (the kitchen) to escape a fire is clearly not recommended. However, the structure and fabric and electrics etc should mean there's less likelihood of a fire starting in the first place being only 8 yr old etc. Being 8 years old the property will have hard wired automatic fire detection right? Whilst that is designed to give early warning in event of fire, you must still ask yourself what your Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) is, that is, basically, think about how long you've got to properly react to the early warning, get the family up, out of bed etc, descend the two floors above ground floor, and literally escape past the fire in the kitchen, before that fire has made it impossible for you to do so. Not long!!!!!!!!! If you let the property, seek further advice from the EHO and, whatever you do, ask the local fire safety officer (Brigade) for a home visit to advise, they usually do this willingly, to help reduce risks. Hope that helps, thanks, Jason.