Landlords must take action and be prepared for the incoming changes to the Alarm and CO detector rules as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announces its intentions to fast track the changes which could be introduced as soon as Autumn 2022.

Since 1st October 2015 the current Alarm and CO detector rules were introduced which ruled landlords must fit smoke alarms on every floor of a property if rooms are being used to house tenants. Landlords must also fit CO2 alarms in rooms where solid fuel is burnt i.e. coal, wood, open fires, however this does not include oil, gas or LPG ( Liquified Petroleum Gas) and must make sure at the start of any new tenancy that the alarms are checked and working.

In November 2020 the government held a consultation to gauge how the sector felt on its new proposals to further extend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015.
After studying the participants’ views on the proposed changes, Housing Minister Eddie Hughes MP, announced the following major changes to the rules that will be introduced:

• Carbon monoxide alarms will be mandatory in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers) in both private and social rented homes.
• Carbon monoxide alarms will also be mandatory upon installation of any heating appliance (excluding gas cookers) in all tenures through building regulations
• Private and social landlords will be expected to repair or replace alarms once informed that they are faulty.
• Smoke alarms will be mandatory in all social rented homes

When addressing the PRS sector the DLUHC is ‘advising’ all landlords ( both PRS and registered social housing) whose properties will fail to meet the extended  regulations, should immediately install or check alarms before the new legal requirements are introduced otherwise expect heavy fines for breaching the incoming rules.

A spokesperson for industry body commented: “Parity across tenures is a key focus of the UK Government and extending the regulations to gas appliances will provide additional levels of protection for tenants.

“Letting agents should be aware that the changes will introduce an obligation on private landlords to repair or replace any alarm which is found to be faulty during the period of a tenancy.

“The current regulations only oblige landlords to check that alarms are in working order on the first day of a new tenancy. Ahead of implementation, agents and their landlords should start now to plan for the changes and the impact on management practices going forward.”

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