IMPORTANT NOTICE

Legislation change for all Landlords

 

THE SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS  2015

As announced by  the Housing Minister, from October 2015 Landlords will be required by law to ensure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed in rental properties in England. The information below is intended to help you understand your responsibilities in relation to the new legislation.

The proposals
apply to England only and will commence from
1 October 2015.

Installation of alarms

Regulation 4 contains the main requirements and provides that a landlord must ensure that –

  • a smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of the premises on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation and
     
  • a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room of the premises which is used wholly or partly as living accommodation and contains a solid fuel burning combustion appliance. 

When determining a storey or room, a bathroom or lavatory is to be treated as a room used as living accommodation. As a result, a half landing containing a bathroom or toilet alone would be counted as a storey and require a smoke alarm.

The duty appears  to apply to all tenancies (existing and new) from 1 October 2015.

The duty will apply to all types of tenancy or licence with a very limited number of exemptions. One exemption is where there are lodgers in a landlords own home.

Checking alarms

There is a further obligation to ensure that checks are made by or on behalf of the landlord to ensure that each prescribed alarm is in proper working order on the day the tenancy begins if it is a new tenancy.

For more information please feel free to contact us for advice and assistance in complying with these new regulations.

Talk to Matt…

Whether you are a first time Landlord, or a portfolio investor, arrange a rent review with our Director, ARLA member Matt Martin.

He can review your existing and upcoming tenancies and advise on legislation changes and arrange valuations on your available properties.

We are offering an exclusive rent guarantee product for Ivy
Gate Landlords. Email matt.martin@ivygate.co.uk or call 020 3282 7162