The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 came into force on 1 October 2015. There has been a recent amendment, which will come into force on 1 October 2022. From that date, all relevant landlords must:

What type of alarm will need to be installed?
It's not stated in the regulations that alarms need to be hardwired into the building, according to the guidance. Smoke alarms should, however, comply with British Standards BS 5839-6, while carbon monoxide alarms should comply with British Standards BS 50291. Landlords and agents are also advised to use alarms with "sealed for life" batteries rather than alarms with replaceable batteries, where possible.

Who's responsible for testing the alarms?
Landlords and agents will need to ensure that the alarms are checked and are in full working order on the "day the tenancy begins if it is a new tenancy." The landlord or agent will also need to keep proof of this check. Tenants are advised to replace batteries where necessary. However, if the alarm still doesn't work after doing so, they should let their landlord or agent know.

As standard, at White & Sons, we will test all alarms on the check-in and provide a report. Where possible they will also be tested on our routine inspections. 

Where should the alarms be located?
Alongside the rules on which rooms and stories require the alarms, as defined above, the guidance highlights that the regulations don't state where the alarms should be installed. However, it outlines that, "in general", smoke alarms should be "fixed to the ceiling in a circulation space", such as halls or landings. Similarly, it advises that carbon monoxide alarms should be "positioned at head height, either on a wall or shelf, approximately 1-3 metres away from a potential source of carbon monoxide".

What's the penalty for non-compliance?
Local authorities will be given the authority to enforce these regulations, with fines of up to £5,000 for any landlords that don't "comply with a remedial notice".

What is "living accommodation"?
The government defines a room as "living accommodation" if its "primary purpose" is living, or if it's a room "in which a person spends a significant amount of time".

What's a "fixed combustion device"?
The guidance defines a fixed combustion device as "a fixed apparatus where fuel of any type is burned to generate heat". These could be powered by gas, oil, coal, or wood, for example - however, a "purely decorative fireplace" would not fit the definition. A gas cooker - excluded from these regulations - is defined as "apparatus heated by gas and used for cooking food."

"Gas cookers are dealt with under separate legislation, so if you have got a kitchen with a gas boiler, you will need a carbon monoxide alarm," says Robert Bolwell, Senior Partner at Dutton Gregory, in a recent Goodlord webinar. "If you have got a kitchen with no boiler at all but a gas cooker - although you've got combustion in the kitchen - you don't need a carbon monoxide alarm because gas cookers are under a different legislation."

For further reading on this subject we would recommend the Government’s booklet 




Photo by Beatriz Pérez Moya on Unsplash