Smoke alarms and CO legislation

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations

As of October 2015, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations came into force, and mean it is compulsory for private landlords to fit smoke alarms and, where appropriate, carbon monoxide detectors in homes they rent out.

• The full text of the legislation can be found on the Legislation.gov.uk site.
• The government has provided some Frequently Asked Questions for landlords and tenants.

It is thought the new legislation could save in the region of 200 lives a year and landlords who don’t comply could face fines of up to £5,000, which would be enforced through local authorities.

Landlords should be aware that the regulations do not contain all the fire safety requirements which their premises may be subject to. There are fire safety requirements under other legislation which may be applicable, such as under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005