As of 2022, all households in Scotland will be required to have fire and smoke alarms installed. The reason why the legislation is being implemented for homeowners and renters now is because of the tragic fire at Grenfell tower in London back in 2017. The Scottish government state how It’s important that all homes are safe, which is the home owner’s and landlord’s responsibility to meet the new standard and manage the cost of on-going work needed to protect and preserve their own property.
What type of housing does this cover?
The regulation covers all households as “it is important that all homes should be safe for occupants regardless of tenure”.
How many alarms are required?
To meet the standards, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms are required, and they should be installed in the following areas:
- One smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes.
- One smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings.
- One heat alarm in every kitchen.
- Where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance (Boilers, fires (open fires) and heaters) or a flue, a carbon monoxide (CO2) detector is required but doesn’t need to be linked to the fire alarms.
Please note: All smoke and heat alarms must be interlinked.
When do these regulations come in to force?
Scottish residents now have until February 2022 to install alarms in their home. Originally the deadline was February 2021. However, due to COVID 19 this date has now been extended "Due to the practical difficulties likely to be faced by homeowners seeking to make the necessary changes to their homes."
Further details and updates can be found on the Scottish Government website.