Landlords, listen up! Did you know that from Saturday 1st October, the regulations surrounding carbon monoxide alarms for private landlords will be changing? In short, as a landlord, you will be legally required to install a carbon monoxide alarm in all rooms where there is a fixed combustion appliance, for example, a gas boiler or gas boiler. This is a development of the 2015 regulations.
Carbon monoxide safety is essential for the sake of your tenants, as well as you – after all, if you fail to comply with these regulations, you could face being fined up to £5,000.
Here, the team at Shortland Horne has put together this handy guide to ensure you better understand changes to the regulations.
Why is a carbon monoxide alarm important?
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that can make a person seriously ill if they breathe it in. The gas can be made by fires and appliances that burn gas, wood, oil or coal.
Furthermore, it’s odourless and colourless, which means people will breathe it in unknowingly. The only way to prevent this from happening is by installing a carbon monoxide alarm, which will sound an alarm if it senses carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide alarm regulations
In 2015, the carbon monoxide alarm regulations came into force. This meant that landlords across England were required to:
- Ensure smoke alarms are installed in all of their rented residential accommodation
- Ensure carbon monoxide alarms are fitted in every room with a solid fuel heating appliance, including any open fireplace which is being used
As of Saturday 1st October, these regulations are being extended further. This will mean that landlords must now:
- Ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room used partly or wholly as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (gas cookers excluded). This applies in both private and social rented homes
- Carbon monoxide alarms will be mandatory upon the installation of any heating appliance (not gas cookers) in all tenures through building regulations
- Ensure carbon monoxide alarms are replaced once informed or repaired if faulty. Note, if the alarm is out of battery, the tenant should replace the batteries
The cost of installing and maintaining the carbon monoxide alarm will fall on you, as landlord, however, it remains the responsibility of your tenant to regularly test the alarm. Your advice to tenants should be to test the alarm at least once a week.
What type of carbon monoxide alarm should you fit?
While the regulations don’t necessarily state a particular type of carbon monoxide needed, you should make an informed decision on which you choose based on the needs of their building and tenants. Carbon monoxide alarms can be powered by mains or batteries, but all should comply with British Standards BS 50291.
Where should the carbon monoxide alarm be installed?
Landlords should follow the instructions on each alarm before installing it. However, carbon monoxide alarms tend to be positioned at head height, for example on a shelf, and approximately between one and three metres away from the appliance (the potential source of carbon monoxide).
Are you a landlord? Do you meet regulations?
There’s so much more to being a landlord than renting a property. And, with regulations changing all of the time, it’s vital that you keep on any changes to the law. The property experts at Shortland Home are here to support and advise you, to ensure you from being caught out by regulation changes – changes that if unknown, could be detrimental to the health and safety of your tenants, plus potentially see you paying a hefty fine. Get in touch with Shortland Home today.