News

London landlords can claim free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Wednesday, July 29th, 2015 - London Fire Brigade

London Fire Brigade is urging the capital’s private landlords to act now and apply for free smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms so they are ready for new life saving legislation set to come into force later this year.

Under new laws expected to be introduced in October 2015, all private landlords will have to fit smoke alarms on each floor of their rental properties and install carbon monoxide alarms in rooms containing solid fuel burners – such as cookers and heaters. Failure to comply could lead to a £5,000 fine.

The smoke and carbon monoxide alarm giveaway, which began in the capital on Monday 20 July 2015, comes as new figures from London Fire Brigade show that in London over the last five years, when there has been a fire in a home, a working smoke alarm was only present 41% of the time.

In addition, while overall smoke alarm ownership in the UK stands at around 90 per cent, those living in private rented homes are far less likely to have a working smoke alarm.

Landlords are also being invited to apply for free carbon monoxide alarms. Carbon monoxide is known as a ‘silent killer’ and causes around 50 deaths nationally each year.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety Neil Orbell said: “The private rented sector provides homes for some of the capital’s most vulnerable groups and there is no doubt that these regulations will make privately rented accommodation safer and save lives.

We want to help London’s private landlords meet their fire safety responsibilities under this new law and would urge them to apply for their free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms well in advance of the new laws coming into force this October.

Tenants can also play a part in taking responsibility for their own safety by reminding their landlords about the new legislation if there are no smoke or carbon monoxide alarms in their home.

Apply for a free smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm

If you own a rental property within Greater London, or you are a managing agent, you can apply to London Fire Brigade for free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. You must submit your application online.

• Apply now while stocks last

National statistics show people are four more times likely to die in a fire in the home if there is no working smoke alarm and over the next ten years it is estimated the new laws will result in around 230 fewer deaths and 5,860 less injuries.

The new regulations will not apply to social landlords and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) as these are both covered by existing laws.

London Property Licensing will publish further information on the new requirements once the fire safety regulations have received parliamentary approval.