Emergency Lighting Testing for London Landlords and HMOs

Emergency lighting is the set of lights that come on by themselves when the power fails, so people can find their way out of a building safely. In London it matters most in HMOs, blocks of flats with shared stairs, offices and shops. This guide covers when you need it, how often it has to be tested, and what we check.

Who needs emergency lighting

Whether a building needs emergency lighting is decided by its fire risk assessment. In practice it is usually needed in:

• Larger HMOs, especially those with three or more storeys or long internal escape routes.
• The shared stairs and corridors of purpose built and converted blocks of flats.
• Offices, shops, salons, restaurants and other premises open to staff or the public.

Small houses let to one household do not normally need it. If you hold an HMO licence, the council will usually refer to fire safety guidance and your fire risk assessment, and our guide to HMO licence electrical requirements in London covers the wider picture.

How often it must be tested

The British Standard for emergency lighting, BS 5266, sets out a simple routine:

• Monthly: a short functional test, switching each fitting to battery for long enough to check it lights up, with the result written in a log book.
• Annually: a full duration test, usually three hours, to prove the batteries still last as long as they should.

The annual test is normally done by an electrician, who then issues a periodic inspection and test certificate for the emergency lighting.

What we check

• Every fitting lights on loss of supply and stays lit for the full rated time.
• Escape routes, stairs, changes of level and exits are properly covered.
• Exit signs are lit and point the right way.
• Test key switches are fitted and labelled so monthly tests can be done easily.
• The log book is up to date.

Common problems we find

• Batteries that fail well before the full three hours, especially in older fittings.
• Fittings wired to a different lighting circuit from the area they cover, so they do not come on when that circuit fails.
• No test key switch, meaning nobody has done a monthly test for years.
• Missing lights at the bottom of stairs or by the final exit door.

Testing, repairs and certificates

Energy North Ltd tests, repairs and installs emergency lighting across North, East and West London, and can test the rest of the installation at the same visit with an EICR. Our City & Guilds certified electricians can usually attend within 48 hours, and certificates are emailed the same day. Commercial clients planning staff or customer charging can also see our EV charger installation page.