Landlords
Regulations
New regulations with effect from 01/10/2015
Landlords will be required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties, under measures announced by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis today (11 March 2015).
The move will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries a year.
The measure is expected to take effect from October 2015, and comes with strong support after a consultation on property condition in the private rented sector.
Once implemented, the Regulations will require a smoke alarm on every floor where there is accommodation and also a CO alarm in any habitable rooms with a solid fuel appliance. Local authorities have a duty to serve notice on the landlord if there is a breach of the Regulations and can execute remedial action if necessary and make a penalty charge up to £5,000.
The landlord, managing agent or other representative must also check that alarms work at the start of each tenancy – although regular testing will be the tenant’s responsibility – and replace any that do not. With this in mind, the latest generation of 10-year guarantee alarms can help landlords meet their obligations over the longer term, cost-effectively.
For example,...
Kidde’s self-contained 10LLCO range of carbon monoxide alarms and 10Y29 compact optical smoke alarm all enjoy full 10-year guarantees covering both the alarm and sealed-in lithium battery.
Alternatively, landlords may choose to install hard-wired mains smoke alarms with back-up power, meeting the recommendations of the BS 5839, Part 6: 2103 Code of Practice. For this, Kidde offers a wide range of products from its Firex and Slick® ranges."