Changes Planned to Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Rules for Landlords
Kevin Gold created on 6th December 2021
The government has announced new legislation around smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, which will affect private landlords.
The legislation will make it a legal requirement for private landlords to install a carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a combustible fuel appliance – this means appliances such as gas boilers and fires, but not gas cookers.
Most landlords already do fit CO alarms in their properties, however, the current law only requires the alarms to be installed in a room with a solid fuel burning source, such as an Aga cooker, woodburning stove or coal fire.
Under the new legislation, it will also become the landlord’s responsibility to repair smoke or CO alarms if informed of a fault by the tenant. Tenants will remain responsible for testing alarms – testing monthly is recommended for smoke alarms in the current guidance.
Updates to supporting guidance on the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm regulations is expected. According to James Wood, Policy Manager at the NRLA, while no details have been published so far, this may lead to a change in the type of alarm landlords use.
“At present the guidance for this legislation makes no recommendations on the placement or type of alarm required,” he said. “This means landlords can comply with the smoke and carbon monoxide alarm regulations by fitting a battery powered smoke alarm.”
“With the guidance set to be updated for the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations, it is likely that this will be updated, with new recommendations to fit mains-wired smoke alarms in line with the building regulations,” he added.
No date has been set for this new legislation to come into force.
Kubie Gold Associates are an independent local firm of estate agents specialising in the Rental, Sale and Property Management of Residential Property in the North-West and Central London market
