Smoke and CO Alarm Regulations now approved in England

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 have now been approved by Parliament.

The final decision was made last night in the House of Lords (September 14), so it will be compulsory for all landlords in England to install smoke alarms on every floor of their properties. Landlords will also be required to install carbon monoxide alarms in high-risk areas of an accommodation (where gas appliances and a solid fuel heating system are installed), and both types of alarms will have to be tested at the start of every tenancy.

The regulations will come into place on the 1st October 2015, which gives landlords approximately two weeks to abide by the new law. If a landlord fails to comply, they can be fined up to £5,000.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations include the following new rules:

• Smoke detectors (alarms) must be fitted on each storey of a rental property. Heat detectors are not allowed as a substitute

• In rooms where solid fuel appliances are installed, Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are required (Note: CO detectors are not required by law for gas appliances, but landlords are being encouraged to provide them in circumstances where risks may arise as good safety practice)

• Landlords must fit these devices before the 1^st of October, and not wait for the start of a new tenancy, but there is no stipulation as to the type of alarms required – battery or hard wired

• Landlords must make sure the alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy

• Landlords are expected to be compliant from 1 October 2015 when the regulations will come into force. There will be no grace period after this date to install the required alarms.

The full regulations can be found here.