Firechief Global survey highlights smoke alarm gap in UK rental homes

A recent survey conducted by Firechief Global, the UK’s fastest-growing fire safety company, has revealed that over 2 million people living in rented accommodations in the UK do not have a smoke alarm fitted.

Firechief Global’s findings indicate that 17% of UK renters lack smoke alarms.

Given that 18.8% of the UK’s population of 67.8 million are renters, this percentage equates to just over 2 million individuals.

As reported by Firechief Global, Greater London is the most affected, with nearly a quarter (24%) of all households, both renters and owners, without smoke alarms.

In Northern Ireland, the figure stands at 22%.

In response to these findings, Laurie Pollard, Managing Director at Firechief Global, said: “In light of these alarming findings, all landlords must check their properties and ensure that the correct fire safety measures are in place to protect tenants first and foremost.”

The importance of proper smoke alarm installation

In the year 2022/23, there were 321 fire-related fatalities in the UK.

The Government’s Fire Kills campaign highlighted that individuals are ten times more likely to die in a fire if their home does not have a working smoke alarm.

Besides the absence of smoke alarms in 2 million rental properties, the survey pointed out that many smoke alarms are not tested regularly.

While tenants should check alarms frequently, landlords should demonstrate the testing process upon tenant move-in.

During 2020/2021 in England, there was a 28% failure rate of smoke alarms.

This rate was higher in Scotland at 39%, and in Wales, it reached 50%.

Laurie Pollard emphasised the issue: “The importance of installing and maintaining working smoke alarms in every home cannot be overstated.

The absence of smoke alarms in millions of homes denies individuals the essential extra time needed to escape a fire safely.

This critical time can mean the difference between life and death.”

Landlord responsibilities under the law

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 stipulate that all landlords must ensure at least one smoke alarm is installed on each storey of homes where there is a room being used as living accommodation.

This requirement has been in place in the private rented sector since 2015.

While no specific type of smoke alarm is mandated, it is recommended that landlords choose alarms based on the needs of their buildings and tenants.

Compliance with British Standards BS 5839-6 is advised.

For battery-powered alarms, those with ‘sealed for life’ batteries are more reliable than those with replaceable batteries.

Enforcement and penalties for non-compliance

Local authorities are responsible for upholding these regulations and issuing penalties for non-compliance.

If a landlord fails to install the required alarms, the local authority must issue a remedial notice, ordering action within 28 days.

Failure to comply can result in a civil penalty of up to £5,000 per breach, meaning landlords could face unlimited fines for multiple non-compliant properties.