Housing providers will soon be required by law to fit smoke alarms in all social housing. Carbon Monoxide alarms must be fitted in rented properties that have fixed appliances, such as fires or gas boilers.
New Law Requires Social Housing Smoke Alarms
The move, which follows a two-month consultation, is intended to make people in social housing feel safer, says a spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The regulation changes require:
- That Carbon monoxide alarms to be fitted when new appliances like gas boilers or fires are installed in a home
- That landlords or housing providers in rented sectors replace or repair smoke and CO (carbon monoxide) alarms when informed of a fault
The cost of these new requirements will fall on property owners. Guidance as to where alarms are to be fitted and on relevant standards will be updated.
The reforms follow the Social Housing Whitepaper which was published last year. It set out proposals for reforms to the social housing sector.
Jim Bywater, the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Commercial Detection Lead, said: “We welcome the changes which will make people feel safer in their homes. We have campaigned for such regulations to ensure that all homes have adequate life-saving detection. The new regulations will reduce fire and carbon monoxide fatalities and bring greater protection to people living in private and social rented properties.”
The consultation says that more information should be provided on siting of alarms. The guidance will signpost installers towards the British Standards for installation. Alarms should be third party certified to relevant British Standards – these are BS EN 14604 for Smoke alarms and also BS EN 50291 for Carbon Monoxide alarms.
RV Fire Systems
For guidance on fire safety compliance and expert advice on business fire safety, call the professionally certified fire alarms company and FSA accredited fire alarm specialists RV Fire Systems on one of our regional numbers below:-
Clitheroe Smoke Detectors Specialist:- 01200 439333
Manchester Smoke Detectors Specialist:- 0161 8260480
Preston Smoke Detectors Specialist:- 01772 970411
Blackpool Smoke Detectors Specialist:- 01253 804199
Blackburn Smoke Detectors Specialist:- 01254 367611
