Brigade welcomes new regulations on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Fire chiefs have welcomed the announcement of new regulations which will make it obligatory for landlords to provide a smoke alarm on every floor of their property and test them at the beginning and end of every tenancy.

Landlords would also need to install carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms – such as those where a solid fuel heating system is installed.

Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Regulation said;

“These regulations will save lives. Just last week, a child in East London had to rouse her mum who was sleeping through a fire in her bedroom. The house did not have a working smoke alarm.
“However, it is important that tenants also take responsibility for their own safety. Regular testing of smoke alarms ideally weekly ideally weekly, ensure that if the worst happens and a fire breaks out the occupiers will be alerted to the danger and lives will be saved. Don’t leave it to chance.
“I am also pleased that carbon monoxide alarms will form part of the regulations. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer that causes at least 40 accidental deaths in the UK a year.”

London Fire Brigade has been calling for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to be mandatory in privately rented homes for number of years. The Brigade is waiting to see the detail of the measures which are expected to take effect from October 2015.