21

May

New Scottish Smoke and CO Alarms Law, why not England too?

By i-promote | Blog

Recently, changes to the Housing (Scotland) Act have been announced in response to the Grenfell Tower blaze.

The new standard requires smoke alarms, heat alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to be installed.

The changes have the full support of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS) who have commented –

The presence of working smoke and heat detectors have been proven to significantly reduce casualties and fatalities occurring as a result of fires within the home. SFRS therefore welcome and support the next steps from this consultation which will undoubtedly improve home safety for all residents, regardless of tenure.www.scottishlegal.com

These new standards, for Scotland only, are being extended from new-build and private rented properties to cover ALL homes in Scotland.

 

What is changing?

The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 will be updated to reflect the following new requirements:

 

  • at least one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes,
  • at least one smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings,
  • at least one heat alarm installed in every kitchen,
  • all alarms should have a minimum 10-year lifespan,
  • all alarms should be ceiling mounted, and
  • all alarms should be interlinked.

 

This is a massive change affecting thousands of homes, so the question many in the industry are asking is, why just Scotland?

We have been advising all of our customers to have both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms fitted in their properties (private and rental) for years and supply a range of products and options so this comes as no surprise to us.

However, this updated list is not a requirement in England, yet, even for rental properties but with the pressure being put on the Government by the various parties this rule may extend to the rest of the UK in the future.

 

Want more information?

If you would like to know more about smoke, heat or carbon monoxide alarm options or an idea of fitting costs, please contact us using the form below or by calling the number at the top of the page.

 

Contact us now for more information:

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References:

BBC News – Smoke alarm rules to apply to all homes in Scotland

Scottishlegal.com – New Fire and smoke alarm regulations to apply to all homes in Scotland