Update on Smoke Alarms In Rented Properties

[pirate]

I know this was on a thread recently, but it's easier to start a new one, just to bring those of you in Scotland up to date.
This is from the Scottish Association of Landlords today:

"We are delighted to report that after a long campaign by SAL, the housing minister has announced that fire safety standards will be the same across all housing tenures. A change will be made to the tolerable standard legislation to require all Scottish homes to have the same interlinked smoke/heat alarm system that has already been required for several years in the private rented sector (PRS).

We are also pleased that the minister has agreed to allow long life sealed unit battery detectors in place of mains powered ones in all tenures, which will significantly reduce the cost and difficulty of fitting detectors. Full details of the minster’s announcement can be read at Improving home safety - https://news.gov.scot/news/improving-home-safety. Please note that a date for implementation of the new standard has not yet been announced and in the meantime the standard applicable to PRS properties remains unchanged."

Not good news for installers who are proper electricians, but personally I think if this legislation makes it easier and cheaper for landlords to comply, they are more likely to do so, and hopefully make rented properties safer.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Thats good news as it saves having to hard wire them in, mind you some of the long life battery ones with interconnect can quickly add up to a decent amount.

 

[pirate]

Very true...
I mentioned another thread containing this stuff, couldn't find it, and now I have...
bit worrying to see it was only t'other day!

Smoke alarm rules to apply to all homes in Scotland - https://www.electriciansforums.co.uk/threads/smoke-alarm-rules-to-apply-to-all-homes-in-scotland.139314/

Probably a good job I'll only be fitting battery smokes in future...

 

[Andy78]

I don't get how the "smoke alarms required in all houses" thing will work.
Since when has it been any business of the govt what you do in your own house ?
What will be the penalty for not having alarms ?
How will compliance be checked ? Will powers of entry be granted ?

 

[pirate]

Basically, it's in all houses which are rented. There were different rules for social housing and private rentals, whereby the PRS had a different standard to achieve from councils and housing associations.
I'm certainly not letting them into my house!
(I do confess to having a couple of £10 battery powered alarms in my house, whereas my rentals have those expensive Aico chaps with 10 year battery backup and radio modules, of which much has been said before...which goes to show I protect my tenants better than my family...
but then, the tenants do pay me!
Damn, I feel bad now! Must get those cheapo FireAngels Tel posted about and give 'em a try...)

 

[Andy78]

I thought the new proposals were for inclusion of smoke alarm laws in all houses, rented and private.

 

[pirate]

Meant to say that other tenures, ie houseowners have compliance built-in if they buy a new-build, as currently proposed, but of course there is nothing to stop the owner taking the alarms away//removing batteries...
but no, they can't make us put alarms in our own homes as it is impossible to police.