New measures announced by housing minister Brandon Lewis require that landlords must now by law install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their rental properties.
The move has received strong support and is expected to come into effect in October 2015. The government claims that the new measure will help to prevent up to 36 deaths and 1,375 injuries every year.
Support will be provided by England’s fire and rescue authorities in their own areas, with government funding and free alarms available. The suggested changes to the law would include landlords being required to install regularly tested smoke alarms on each floor of their property. Carbon monoxide alarms would also need to be installed in high risk rooms such as where a solid fuel heating system is installed. These devices would need to be checked prior to each new tenancy.
Failure to follow these guidelines would lead to a £5,000 civil penalty.
Lewis said: ‘In 1988 just 8% of homes had a smoke alarm installed – now it’s over 90%. The vast majority of landlords offer a good service and have installed smoke alarms in their homes, but I’m changing the law to ensure every tenant can be given this important protection. But with working smoke alarms providing the vital seconds needed to escape a fire, I urge all tenants to make sure they regularly test their alarms to ensure they work when it counts. Testing regularly remains the tenant’s responsibility.’