UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all,

Most of you are probably already aware of the new Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulation being enforced from the 1st of October 2015. It only got passed by Parliament on the 16th of September, so it doesn't leave landlords much time to comply (although, it shouldn't take much time to make the necessary arrangements to comply and it was proposed a while ago).

But for those of you who don't know the details, here's a quick overview:

All landlords in England (not Wales) will be required to comply with the Landlord Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulation 2015, which means the following:

• Install a smoke alarm on each floor of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
• Equip a carbon monoxide alarm in any room of the premises which is used wholly or partly as living accommodation and contains a solid fuel burning combustion appliance (e.g. a coal fire, wood burning stove).
• Check that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the day the tenancy begins if it is a new tenancy (this part only applies to "new" tenancies that start on and after the 1st of October 2015).

Please read the full article on the main blog for more details: http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlord-smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarm-regulations/

It is interesting - to me, at least - that the legislation calls for the alarms to be checked by the Landlord on the day the tenancy starts... if you forget you can't rectify as your one-time bolt has been shot? Ouch.

Quote from: Hippogriff on September 18, 2015, 12:23:59 PM
It is interesting - to me, at least - that the legislation calls for the alarms to be checked by the Landlord on the day the tenancy starts... if you forget you can't rectify as your one-time bolt has been shot? Ouch.

Yup, agreed.

Also means more work for agents, because most agents expect the tenants to pick the keys up from their branch. Now I'm guessing agents will need to meet them at the property on the day...

Yup...and guess who they will soon enough start to charge a "checking in service"..
The other point that agents in particular seem to want to raise is the type of alarm... Some claim it has to be hard wired, some claim it has to be 10year sealed battery...the hap the Fire Brigade recommend will of course recommend the latter...bigger margin for him.
All cobblers...£3 unit from Toolstation will do.

Must admit though haven't gone round to all the properties and  checked when the 10 year life expires on them....
....Add one more task to the never ending list...

This may sound a bit daft but once a smoke detector is installed, and checked in working condition by the landlord, is it then down to the tenants to replace batteries and check weekly that it works?

You need to check it is working on the day a tenant moves in (not just when it is installed if that's what you mean) but then yes it is down to the tenant. Usually it will be specified as such in your tenancy agreement.

Thank you.