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Landlords

Smoke and heat alarm rules for rented homes

By Mizan, Founder and lead engineer4 min read

An electrician fitting a mains-wired smoke alarm to a living room ceiling

The requirements for alarms in rented property tightened in October 2022, and a lot of properties still have not caught up.

The requirement

  • At least one smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation.
  • A carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers.
  • Alarms repaired or replaced once the landlord is told they are faulty.

Why interlinked and mains-wired is better

Battery alarms get taken down when they chirp and never go back up. Mains-wired alarms with battery backup do not have that failure mode. Interlinking matters more still — when one alarm detects smoke, every alarm in the property sounds, so a fire starting downstairs wakes someone sleeping upstairs.

If you are unsure, it is always cheaper to ask than to guess. Give us a call and we will tell you straight.

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    How to test a smoke alarm properly

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  • Landlords

    EICR codes explained: C1, C2, C3 and FI

    Four codes decide whether an EICR passes and how urgently you have to act. Here is what each one actually means, and how to avoid overpaying for work the report never asked for.

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