Smoke Detector
- The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 effective 1 October 2015 provide the rules.
- Smoke detectors are sensible and cheap wake up alarms providing warning in the event of a fire.
- Even where not legally required they should be considered on moral grounds e.g. a risk assessment in lofts reveal fires can start as lofts contain combustible insulation, electric cables and junction boxes and a massive water tank - combine electricity with water and fires are very possible. Rodents can gnaw through loft electric cables causing short circuits - not all houses have trip fuses!
- Residential landlords (live-in landlords) are not required to fit alarms if they share some part of the accommodation.
- Situations where they are required can include Large HMOs -Mandatory Licensed properties - in every room - excluding non habitable rooms like toilets and cupboards.
- Small HMOs Non-Licensable HMOs require smoke alarms originally under: The management of HMO regulations effective 6/6/2006 but more recently under The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
- Where required smoke detectors might be required to be interlinked with battery back up - e.g. Licensable HMOs .
- Smoke Alarms must be tested regularly to ensure they work. Advise tenants to test weekly - include this as a contractual term.
- Heat detectors can be used where smoke detectors are likely to cause nuisance resulting in sabotage.
- Some batteries boast a 10 year lifespan (lithium batteries) and are thus trouble free for extended periods and so are most likely to work when required.
- Smoke detector tests are a legal requirement at the start of each tenancy under the 2015 Act,
- Smoke and CO detectors have a 'replace by' date e.g. 10 years.
- Batteries should either be tested or replaced automatically before failing.
- Battery backup is encouraged in the event of power failure.
- On one occasion a small fire started in a kitchen hood melting the electric cables inside and short circuiting the wiring, tripping the fuse. So only the battery part of the detector alarm was operating thereafter!
See also
Published: 29 September 2015
Last Updated: 1 December 2021