Date Published 17 September 2015
Parliament has approved the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015
From from 1st October 2015 all Landlords in England, or Agents acting on their behalf, will be required to install smoke alarms on EVERY floor of their property and test them at the start of every Tenancy. Those not abiding by the regulations face fines of up to £5,000.
Landlords or their agents must also fit carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with a solid fuel appliance, which includes wood burners and open fires.
Around 445,000 smoke alarms and 40,000 carbon monoxide alarms have now been distributed by the 46 fire and rescue authorities in England in a bid to encourage agents and Landlords to meet their safety obligations.
David Cox, ALRA Propertymark managing director, says it is concerned that Landlords will not have enough time to comply with the requirements, 'as it is simply impracticable for Letting Agents, who may manage a huge amounts of properties, to gain access to the properties and to install these alarms on behalf of their clients in the time frame allotted.'
