In the UK 38% of house fire deaths were in homes with no smoke alarms installed and one fifth were in homes where a smoke alarm didn’t work. It is hoped the new law will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries each year. Licensed HMOs, social housing and other residential buildings already covered by existing regulations, are excluded. Housing minister Brandon Lewis said: "In 1988 just 8% of homes had a smoke alarm installed - now it’s over 90%. The vast majority of landlords offer a good service and have installed smoke alarms in their homes, but I’m changing the law to ensure every tenant can be given this important protection." Testing the alarms regularly will remain the responsibility of the tenant. Communities minister Stephen Williams added: "We're determined to create a bigger, better and safer private rented sector - a key part of that is to ensure the safety of tenants with fire prevention and carbon monoxide warning." Landlords will be required to install smoke alarms on every floor of their property and test them at the start of every tenancy. High-risk rooms - such as those where a solid fuel heating system is installed - will also need carbon monoxide alarms installed. Penalties could include a £5000 fine.
Fire Facts:
* Between 8pm & 9pm is the most common hour for fires to be reported (9%)
* From midnight to 5am, 11% of fires break out, but 20% of all deaths from fire or smoke occur within those five hours.*
* More than two-thirds of fire related deaths happen in accidental fires in the home, and of those, more than half of the victims are 65 or older
* The risk of dying in a fire for people aged 80 and over is more than four times higher than the average
* More than one-in-three accidental house fires are started by smoking material such as cigarettes, pipes or cigars
* Over a third of fires in non-domestic buildings are also caused by smoking material.
*Based on UK figures from April 2013-March 2014
Article 'Sound The Alarms' Property Professional magazine (July/August 2015)
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