Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: what landlords must fit

This guide covers England. It's general information, not legal advice. Rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are different.

The short version

At least one smoke alarm on every storey that has a room used as living accommodation.
A carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler, gas fire or wood burner. Gas cookers don't count.
Check every alarm works on the day each new tenancy starts.
Repair or replace an alarm once you're told it's faulty.

Where alarms are needed

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 were updated on 1 October 2022. Since then, the rules for private landlords are:

Smoke alarms: at least one on each storey where there's a room used as living accommodation. A bathroom or toilet counts as living accommodation here.
Carbon monoxide alarms: one in every room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance. That includes gas, oil and solid fuel appliances like boilers, gas fires and log burners, but not gas cookers.

The law doesn't say which type of alarm to use. Sealed 10-year battery alarms save you changing batteries and getting calls about beeping.

The check on move-in day

You must make sure every required alarm works on the day a new tenancy starts. Test each one in front of the tenant if you can, and write it down. A line in the check-in inventory saying "all alarms tested and working", signed by both of you, is good evidence.

When an alarm breaks

Once a tenant tells you an alarm is faulty, you must repair or replace it. Treat it as urgent. Ask tenants to report beeping or faulty alarms the same way they report any other repair, so you have a dated record of when you were told and when you fixed it.

Fines

If a council believes the rules aren't being met, it can serve a remedial notice. If you don't comply, it can fine you up to £5,000.

Quick checklist

Walk round each property: one smoke alarm per storey, and a CO alarm in every room with a boiler, fire or stove.
Note each alarm's expiry date. Most are printed on the side and are around 10 years.
Test them all on move-in day and record it.
Give tenants one simple way to report a faulty alarm.