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.