Furniture
- Furniture and Furnishing (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 as amended 1989 &1993 is the act covering furniture.
- From January 1997, it became unlawful for landlords to supply upholstered furniture in rented properties which fails to conform to the 1988 standards Upholstered furniture manufactured before 1988 may contain foam capable of quickly giving off lethal toxic fumes. New standards require furniture fillings to include safer materials also covered by material with greater fire resistance.
- Covered by the regulations are:
- Upholstered seating,
- furniture,
- beds,
- mattresses,
- headboards,
- sofas and sofa-beds,
- futons,
- scatter cushions,
- seat pads,
- loose and stretch-covers.
- New Furniture purchased after 1988 must be labelled to indicate compliance. Since 1993 it became illegal to sell second-hand furniture which does not comply. Pre-1950s furniture is exempt from this law.
Published: 8 November 2013 Last Updated: 17 November 2021