In an announcement from the government, new plans for expanding smoke alarm regulations were laid out. Expecting to come into effect next year, it contains a number of measures to make owners of both social and private properties more responsible for such safety measures.

The government also plans to tighten regulations on carbon monoxide detectors.

Tougher Rules and Regulations

In brief, the plans are:

•          Mandatory to fit smoke alarms in all residential properties regardless of whether they are occupied and regardless of how long the current tenants will be there
•          Fitting carbon monoxide detectors including when new gas appliances are installed in rented accommodation
•          Widen the conditions under which both of the above must be fitted by law
•          Updating guidance on where a property owner should fit an alarm to ensure they meet regulations

Further, will also be required to repair or replace both CO and smoke detectors once the tenant reports a fault.

Various spokespeople came out to praise the move, stating that such changes are necessary for everyone’s safety and to set clear guidance for property owners too.

Updating 2015 Regulations

Since 2015, private property owners were subject to regulation to install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (where relevant) and to expand existing regulations to also cover gas boiler installation.

Many in the industry have for years called for equal amounts of protection across the rented sector regardless of length of contract, status, or property. This is seen as a major victory for both tenant and industry representative groups.

Some Drawbacks and Reservations Remain

However, some in the industry have expressed concerns about the practicalities of some of the measures. Mostly, they are concerned about the requirement for landlords to test alarms on the first day of a new tenancy. They have asked for more flexibility as this is considered impractical in some limited cases.

With issues of moving created by the pandemic, we’ve come to see how sometimes flexibility suits both parties.

Carbon Monoxide and Fire Safety Facts

While since Grenfell there has been much focus on improving fire regulations, carbon monoxide is still a big threat while we continue to rely on gas appliances. According to government figures, some twenty people die every year from CO poisoning. Most of these deaths and other incidents happen in the autumn when people put the heating back on after months of warmer weather.

Hospitalisations for CO poisonings and other treatment for cases remains in the hundreds. Some people live with long-term or permanent illness after recovery.

According to Statista, there were 286 fire deaths in the UK in 2020. That’s a huge drop from 1980 when there number was in the region of 1,000 annually.