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Question Title: Polystyrene tiles
| Question: 347 |
| I have just taken over the management of a property and there are polystyrene tiles on the ceilings of all the rooms. Can I rent out a property with these tiles in place?
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| Answer: |
| There are no regulations which specifically prevent polystyrene tiles being used in rented property. But you need to be careful as these tiles can be inflammable and toxic when they catch fire. For them to be used safely, it is important that they are correctly fixed to the ceiling. All tiles sold now have fire retardents incorporated to make them safer. Polystyrene tiles are only considered a hazard in a serious fire situation. Because of the fire retardent additives (which restrict flame spread from small flame source) they are less dangerous in small or localised fires. Under the Building Regulations, it is not legal to put up polystyrene tiles in a new house or flat because the regulations require wall and ceiling surfaces to have a class O rated surface for fire safety purposes (which also prevents the use of gloss paint and vinyl or some heavy flocked wallpapers on the walls or ceilings in new houses). However, it is likely that fire officers would request that these tiles be removed from any properties let as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) because the risks from fire are higher in such properties.
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