Landlords – please take action and be prepared for the incoming changes to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations. This is part of the new Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) which has announced its intentions to fast track the changes that could be introduced as soon as Autumn 2022.
Current Regulations
Since 1st October 2015 the current regulations were introduced which ruled
- Landlords must fit smoke alarms on every floor of a property if rooms are being used to house tenants.
- Landlords must also fit CO2 alarms in rooms where solid fuel is burnt i.e. coal, wood, open fires. However this does not include oil, gas or LPG ( Liquified Petroleum Gas)
- Landlords must make sure at the start of any new tenancy that the alarms are checked and working.
In November 2020 the government held a consultation to gauge how the sector felt on its new proposals to further extend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015.
So What Is Changing?
After studying the participants’ views, Housing Minister Eddie Hughes MP, announced the following major changes to the rules that will be introduced:
- Carbon monoxide alarms will be mandatory in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers) in both private and social rented homes.
- Carbon monoxide alarms will also be mandatory upon installation of any heating appliance (excluding gas cookers) in all tenures through building regulations
- Private and social landlords will be expected to repair or replace alarms once informed that they are faulty.
ALL landlords (both PRS and registered social housing) should immediately install or check alarms before the new legal requirements are introduced. Heavy fines can be expected for breaching the incoming rules if properties fail to meet the extended regulations. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive and save lives.
Please place all alarms carefully and safely in appropriate places on wall and ceilings to ensure it is secure and stays in place long term and can not easily be moved or knocked. If you would like any support sourcing or fitting your alarms please do not hesitate to give us a call here at Belvoir and we will gladly help.
In summary the current regulations only oblige landlords to check that alarms are in working order on the first day of a new tenancy. However, you need to be aware that the changes will introduce an obligation on landlords to repair or replace any alarm which is found to be faulty during the period of a tenancy. NO date is set for this yet.
Belvoir prioritise keeping all of our Landlords compliant and in the know. We will communicate changes to laws and regulations that affect you, your properties and tenants though emails, newsletters, social media and Blogs. If you should have any questions or want to chat about your Landlord needs do please give us a call and we will be happy to help.
