Since 2015, all new tenancies had to have working Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors fitted. Smoke detectors on every residential floor, and CO in any room have solid fuel heating – but not gas. Note that HMO’s are subject to seperate regulations.
In draft regulations, these 4 proposals have been made, which if accpeted would become law this October (2022):
- Smoke alarm regulations will now apply to all tenancies.
- Previously, carbon monoxide alarms were only required where a tenant had the ability to burn ‘solid fuel’. Going forward, carbon monoxide detectors will be required in any room where there is a ‘fixed combustion applicance’.
This means that oil and gas fired boilers will be caught by the new rules as will built in gas fires. However, a gas cooker or hob is expressly excluded from the definition of ‘a fixed combustion appliance’ as indeed are portable appliances. - If a tenant raises complaints that an alarms is not working properly, the landlord will be under a statutory obligation to sort out the problem ‘as soon as reasonably practicable’.
- The new regulations will now be applicable right across the sector including both private and social landlords.
All the details can be seen here.
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