Update October 2015:
- This is now law from the 1st October
- A property must have a smoke alarm on each habitable floor. it can be battery operated and does not have to be mains wired.
- A property must have a carbon monoxide alarm where there are solid fuel burning appliances i.e log burners and open fires. Not where Gas boilers are fitted but we do recommend they are. it can be battery operated and does not have to be mains wired.
From October 2015 and subject to Parliamentary approval, private rented sector landlords will be required to have working smoke alarms on every floor of their property and carbon monoxide alarms in rooms where a SOLID FUEL heating system is installed. This was the requirement when the legislation was announced in March which would mean open fires, log burners and aga’s that are wood and coal burning. At the moment the wording does not cover gas applances such as gas boilers, gas fires and gas hobs/cooker. We think this is an oversight and might be amended to include these before October.Alarms must be tested at the start of every new tenancy.
The regulations do not stipulate the type of alarm to be installed; rather, landlords should make an informed decision and choose the best alarm for their circumstances and property.
Landlords who fail to comply with the duties outlined in the regulations may be subject to a civil penalty
