Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors: Keeping tenants safe
New legislation that came into force at the beginning of the month has made it compulsory for all landlords to fit smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors into their rented properties.
The new rules mean a smoke alarm must be installed on each floor of a property used as living accommodation.
A carbon monoxide detector should be fitted into any room with a solid fuel appliance, such as an open fuel fire, wood burning stove or kitchen equipment such as a solid fuel Aga.
In addition, landlords are required to check that all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order when a new tenancy begins and these checks should be conducted periodically.
Failure to comply with these new rules could lead to a penalty charge of up to £5,000.
Exclusions to the new law include Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), hostels, care homes, hospitals, hospices and student halls of residence.
These new rules align private rented properties with existing building regulations for new homes, which require the installation of smoke alarms. The legislation is part of the government's efforts to improve safety standards in the private rented sector.
If there is no smoke alarm installed in a property, a person is at least four times more likely to die in a fire there.
At Redstones we are advising all landlords with properties that use gas to install a carbon monoxide detector, as well as smoke alarms if they haven't installed them already.
