Many properties built or renovated in the 1970s and 1980s featured polystyrene ceiling tiles. They may be of use to improve thermal insulation, easily cover damaged plaster, and their contemporary fashionable patterned finish did appeal at the time.
However, some of these older tiles lacked fire retardant additives which means they pose a significant fire hazard. They are highly inflammable, and they release toxic fumes when burned.
While these types are not technically illegal in existing structures, the fire authorities and other regulators strongly advise their removal. This is the case especially for older types which are untreated, and especially where they are fitted in kitchens where fire risk is greatest.
This article applies primarily to England and is not a full interpretation of the law. Always seek professional advice before making or not making decisions. Use this guide as the starting point for your research, not an endpoint.
Landlords usually think of obvious cosmetic issues such as peeling paint, rotting window frames and worn carpets and can easily overlook something far more dangerous and insidious: the polystyrene ceiling or even wall tiles.
These lightweight tiles were once very popular in mid-20th century property refurbishments due to their ease of fitting and their sin covering capabilities. Surprising as it may seem they are still found in countless rental properties throughout the UK. Many landlords are not aware of the serious fire and health hazards they pose.
If they catch fire, these tiles drip molten plastic which can cause serious skin burns, they emit deadly dense toxic smoke, and they spread fire faster than most conventional ceiling materials.
These types potentially put tenants’ lives at risk and as such compromise the landlord’s obligation to provide safe accommodation. Landlords have a legal obligation to do this. Leaving such tiles in place may not only violate safety guidance, but it could also trigger enforcement action under housing laws, invalidate insurance policies, or lead to liability claims.
This article aims to set out what the law requires, what health and safety guidance says about these types and practical steps for removal. If you’re a landlord with properties still fitted with polystyrene ceiling tiles, don’t think they’re “good enough” for your tenants—read on.
Polystyrene ceiling tiles are decorative plaster covering materials made from polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene (EPS), sometimes with fire retardant additives. They were popular in their day because they are cheap, very light and easy to install (simply stuck to the ceiling or wall), and (mostly in older properties) offered a way to hide damage or improve insulation cheaply.
Older types had no fire-retardant properties and over time, many later versions degrade, adhesives fail, or tiles become brittle and dirty, increasing their fire risk. Modern “fire-retardant” versions do exist, but old unmodified polystyrene remains highly flammable and dangerous. They all are simply not worth the risk and should be removed.
Polystyrene ignites very easily. Once they catch light, they can spread flames very quickly and because they spread across the ceiling, they can be very difficult to extinguish with a fire extinguisher, not to mention the danger of dripping molten plastic – when heated, polystyrene can melt and drip molten plastic causing horrific skin burns.
Once burning, polystyrene produces toxic fumes (gases such as carbon monoxide, styrene, and many others), as well as black, choking smoke which will travel through a building in seconds. The smoke and toxicity can incapacitate occupants or fire fighters very quickly, reducing the changes of escape if there’s a fire.
The elderly, children, people with mobility or sensory impairments are at greater risk if escape is impeded by such materials.
Landlords might believe that because there is no specific ban on these tiles, it’s good enough for them, but that’s not only putting their tenants at risk, but it’s also the building as well, and that is dangerous thinking.
It’s a serious matter; what does the law say, what can the enforcement bodies do, and where does liability fall if the worst should happen?
The Housing Act 2004 and HHSRS (Housing Health and Safety Rating System) gives local housing authorities the power to assess dwellings using this risk assessment procedure and one of the most serious hazard categories is fire risk. Any property with polystyrene tiles that pose a serious fire risk would most definitely come under a category 1 hazard (highest risk).
If the property is subject to an inspection by the local authority housing officers or environmental health then such a hazard would involve the authority in issuing an Improvement Notice requiring removal or remedial action. Failure to comply can result in criminal proceedings and large fines.
Building regulations refer to approved document B (England and Wales) which requires internal linings to resist the spread of flames, among other fire safety criteria. Untreated or modified polystyrene tiles usually do not meet required standards for “reaction to fire”. Indeed, where there are greater fire risks such as in kitchens, half-hour fire retardant plaster board is usually specified.
Under the more recent Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 shared/common areas of blocks of flats and HMOs are covered by measures where responsible persons must carry out regular fire risk assessments.
They must ensure that appropriate fire-retardant materials are used and that there is a clear means of escape in common areas. While individual flats and apartments remain outside the scope for these common-areas rules, a landlord’s duties still extend to those under the HHSRS and Building Regulations rules.
In new builds or substantial renovations, internal linings must meet current “Class 0 / Class 1” surface spread of flame ratings; unmodified polystyrene generally doesn’t.
Local authorities can force the removal of dangerous materials including polystyrene tiles when identified as fire risk. However, local authority inspections are relatively rare unless they are triggered by a complaint, so it’s generally down to landlords to use their own judgement.
Failure to comply with a landlord’s legal obligations under common law and the Housing Act or Fire Safety Order can lead to criminal liability, unlimited fines in severe cases and penalties under Improvement Notices rules. Unless you, as a landlord, are relaxed about receiving a criminal record, it is advisable to pre-empt such an outcome by making sure your properties are safe.
If a fire does start in one of your properties, in part because of known hazards that were not remedied, your insurers may refuse claims or reduce payouts. What’s even more serious, landlords’ may receive a negligence claim from their tenants or their families.
You should conduct and document a fire risk assessment for every rental property you own and for common areas in HMOs / blocks of flats. These usually ask about ceiling materials. If polystyrene tiles are present, you should treat them as a red flag hazard.
Treat removal as a priority and replace good fire-resistant alternatives: half-hour fire resistant (pink) plasterboard, fire-rated gypsum boards or non-combustible ceiling panels. Make sure these meet current building regulations specifications for reaction to fire.
Ensure that smoke detectors / fire alarms are fitted in the property and are working. Make sure escape routes are clear and that doors and windows are easily opened from inside the property.
Keep written records of risk assessments and any repairs or replacements undertaken because of the assessment. For HMOs and shared blocks, always ensure that the responsible person understands their legal duties under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 etc. Remember, older tiles pose a greater danger as their fire risk increases with time.
When removing any materials in older properties always check for hidden hazards, particularly asbestos which can easily lie hidden from view in older ceilings and its adhesive layers. The polystyrene tiles themselves do not pose a risk, but asbestos definitely does, so if you suspect there may be asbestos present, seek expert advice.
Use protective gear, gloves, eye protection, masks (for dust / particles) and you may need a steam wallpaper strimmer and/or a warm water, low detergent mix to moisten the tiles and soften any glue.
Gently peel or use a scraper to skim away the tile from the ceiling, avoiding damage to what’s behind, such as the original plaster board or lath and plaster. Once the tiles are fully removed, inspect the ceiling (plaster, laths, board) and repair any cracks or holes.
The ceiling may require re-skimming with plaster and covering with new plaster boards, preferably half-hour fire retardant ones.
When buying or taking on a rental property, do full due diligence and inspect ceilings along with everything else. Don’t assume that everything will be safe just because the previous landlord was using it.
Polystyrene tiles in rental properties are more than just a passing concern. Like cladding on tower blocks, they invariably compromise a building because of the fire risk. They are a serious fire hazard and usually a category 1 hazard under HHSRS. If there is a fire they can trap tenants in toxic smoke, melt and drip burning plastic, and spread the flames throughout the property far quicker than people realise.
The law under the Housing Act 2004, Building Regulations, and Fire Safety legislation doesn’t explicitly ban every instance of polystyrene tiles, but these regulations do demand fire safety, and in most cases this type will fail to meet the required standards.
Landlords who delay in removing them do so at their own risk: liability, insurance risk, and the human cost are too high to contemplate. If you own property with these tiles, have them assessed, remove them all, ideally also the non-fire-rated ones, and replace with safer materials. Make sure you record everything. It’s not just good practice: it may well be what the law requires of you.
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