Furniture Fire Safety Law Changes 2025

A quiet but essential change to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (FFSR) is on the way. From 30 October 2025, the amending Regulations made in April 2025 will reshape how upholstered furniture placed in UK rental property is regulated.

Below is a round‑up for landlords and letting agents.

1. Scope is narrowed -- baby and young‑child products drop out

In a move aimed at reducing babies' exposure to chemical flame retardants, a long list of nursery‑type items is removed from the definition of "furniture".

The exclusions cover :

• infant‑sized mattresses (under 170 × 75 cm)
• modular cot mattresses
• prams and pushchairs
• playpens
• car seats
• changing mats
• baby nests
• high‑chairs
• booster seats
• and more.

What this means in practice:

• You can supply these items in furnished lets without an FFSR‑style permanent label.
• They still have to be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations, so buy reputable brands and inspect them between lets.
• Larger mattresses, sofa‑beds, cushions and standard beds remain entirely in scope -- nothing changes.

2. Good‑bye to the swing label

New furniture has carried two labels for years: the stitched‑in permanent label and the detachable "display" or swing label. The swing label is being abolished. Manufacturers no longer need to attach it; retailers no longer have to leave it in place.

Landlord takeaway:

• When you buy new furniture after 30 October 2025, don't be alarmed if the swing label has disappeared -- that is now the rule.
• The permanent label stays mandatory. No permanent label, no supply.

Second‑hand pieces already bearing a swing label can still be used: you don't have to remove it, but it no longer proves compliance.

3. Longer window for Trading Standards to prosecute

Local authorities have complained for years that a six‑month limit to bring cases was too tight. The amendment gives them 12 months from the date of the offence to start proceedings.

It is therefore even more critical to keep purchase invoices, photographs of labels and tenancy inventories for at least a year.

4. Action plan for landlords

1. Inventory check -- Walk through your furnished properties and list every upholstered item, verifying the permanent label is present and legible.
2. Replace outliers early -- If an item looks dubious, budget to swap it before the next tenancy or by October 2025 at the latest.
3. Store proof -- Take a quick photo of each permanent label and save it with the tenancy file.
4. Update tenant information packs -- A short note asking tenants not to import non‑compliant second‑hand sofas can save a headache.
5. Holiday lets & HMOs -- The rules apply just the same. Shared lounges and beds in short‑stay accommodation must meet the new regime.

5. Key dates

• 28 April 2025 -- Regulations signed.
• 30 April 2025 -- Regulations laid before Parliament.
• 30 October 2025 -- Changes take legal effect.

Final thoughts

The 2025 tweaks are evolutionary, not revolutionary, but failure to follow them can still lead to unlimited fines or imprisonment.

For the official guidance on product safety, please see here.