The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 were laid in draft in March 2015 and are currently awaiting Parliamentary approval. If they are approved, private sector landlords will be required from 1 October 2015 to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance (e.g. a coal fire, wood burning stove). After that, the landlord must make sure the alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy beginning on or after the 1 October 2015.

smoke detector

The requirements will be enforced by local authorities who can impose a fine of up to £5,000 where a landlord fails to comply with a remedial notice.
Once the alarms have been brought in, it is then the tenant’s responsibility to make sure that they alarms are in working order. If they find that the alarms are not working, they should arrange a change of batteries or change of alarm with their Landlord.

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