Landlords to install smoke, carbon monoxide alarms in properties by 1 October

By law, as of 1 October landlords must install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties, or face a £5,000 fine.

Smoke alarms must be fitted to every floor of a property, with carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms, such as those where a solid fuel heating system is installed like a cooker or heater, and alarms must be tested at the start of each tenancy.

This brings moves private rented properties closer to existing building regulations that already require newly-built homes to have hard-wired smoke alarms installed, and will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries a year, nationally.

Earlier this year Hackney Council called on the government to ensure that the installation of fire and carbon monoxide alarms in rented properties was compulsory, among many other measures through the 10 Steps to better private renting campaign.

Cllr Philip Glanville, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is a welcome move from the government, and it is essential that landlords in Hackney install these alarms that can help save lives. I would ask tenants to remind their landlords to do so and comply with the law – which we will not hesitate to enforce where necessary.”

London Fire Brigade is offering landlords free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure compliance with the law – for more information, visit http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/freesmokealarms.asp

Sign the Council’s petition to the government for better private renting at www.hackney.gov.uk/10-Steps