united-kingdom real-estate
Would towels under floorboards (for sound insulation) be considered an unacceptable fire risk?
<p>I am a live-in landlord (UK), with two lodgers. My bedroom is on the ground floor, my lodger is in the bedroom above me. I want to reduce the noise from above, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pABvTWSxOes" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this video</a> suggests that folded towels make great sound-insulation.</p>

<p>I want to put some folded towels under the floorboards in my lodgers' room for this reason. However, most towels are 100% cotton and so burn quite well. Would I get into trouble for doing something like this?</p>

<p>You would almost certainly be <strong><em>criminally liable</em></strong> if a fire were to occur and your insulation did not meet the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485420/BR_PDF_AD_B1_2013.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Fire Safety Building Regulations</a>, especially as you deliberately used a non-conforming material.</p>

<p>Cotton towels are not one of the materials that have met or exceeded the EU and UK regulations.</p>

<p>Edit to add - as an aside, should you suffer a fire for whatever reason, any landlord, housing or home insurance you have have will almost certainly become void should the insurance company discover your use of cotton towels as insulation.</p>
