Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are small fittings with an important role in a rented home. For landlords in England, the basic duties are set out in the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations, as amended in 2022. The requirements are specific: they do not replace other fire-safety rules that may apply to a building or a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
Where alarms are required
A smoke alarm must be fitted on each storey of a rented property that contains a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation. A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any living-accommodation room containing a fixed combustion appliance, except a gas cooker. This can include rooms with appliances such as a boiler, a wood burner or a coal fire. Check the current regulations and the property’s particular layout rather than relying on a generic room-by-room checklist.
Before a new tenancy begins, the landlord must check that each required alarm is in proper working order on the day the tenancy starts. Keep a simple dated record of the check, the alarm location and any remedial work. The regulations do not prescribe one alarm technology for every home; installation should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the device’s relevant product standard.
If an alarm fails
A tenant or their nominated representative should report an alarm that is not working. If the landlord finds that a prescribed alarm is faulty following that report, it must be repaired or replaced as soon as reasonably practicable. A clear reporting route helps make sure the message reaches the person who can arrange the work. Record the report, inspection and repair dates, and tell the tenant what is happening.
Tenants should tell the landlord promptly if an alarm appears faulty. Testing alarms periodically is sensible, but it does not transfer the landlord’s legal duty to provide the required alarms and address a reported fault. Do not ask a tenant to diagnose a combustion appliance or carry out electrical work.
Scope matters
The alarm rules sit alongside other obligations, including keeping a rented home safe and following applicable fire-safety requirements. HMO licensing conditions or building-specific rules may require additional precautions. Some kinds of accommodation are excluded from these regulations, so check the legal schedule if the arrangement is unusual.
This is a general guide to the England requirements, not a substitute for checking the law for a particular tenancy or building. See the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 as amended by the 2022 Regulations, and the current GOV.UK landlord-responsibility guidance.