SMOKE AND CO ALARM REGULATIONS EXPLAINED

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 came into force on 1st October 2015.

The new regulations only apply to private landlords in England.

1. Landlords must fit at least one smoke alarm on every storey of their property.
2. Landlords must also fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing an appliance that burns solid fuel.
3. It is not a legal requirement for landlords to fit a carbon monoxide in a room with gas burning appliances. Although we would always recommend that a CO alarm should be installed as a best practice measure.
4. The landlord, or someone acting on their behalf, must make sure these alarms are working correctly at the start of each new tenancy.
5. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the regulations.
6. Landlords who fail to install smoke and CO alarms could face a civil penalty of up to £5,000.