With changes to the law in England and Scotland relating to the use of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in privately rented properties, Aico has updated its ‘Landlord’s Guide to Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms’, which installers can pass onto landlords to help ensure safety in their homes.

The guide explains the responsibilities a landlord has to their tenants, referring to the British Standard for domestic fire alarm systems, BS 5839-6:2013; the British and European Standard for CO Alarm systems, BS EN 50292:2013; and the law, which varies across the UK.


In England, the law changed in October 2015 to require all private tenanted properties to have working smoke alarms installed on every level of the property and working CO alarms in any room with a solid fuel burning appliance. In Scotland the law changed in December 2015 to require all private tenanted properties to have working CO alarms in every room or interconnected space where there is a fixed combustion appliance (excluding those used solely for cooking).


Aico’s new website has a dedicated area detailing all the British Standards, Building Regulations and a full breakdown of the new legislation covering both fire and CO. The guide can be downloaded from the website, or you can register for a free postal copy.


The guide also helps to highlight potential fire and CO risks within a home, identifying the major causes of death from fire and possible sources of CO leaks to enable informed decisions about how best to protect individual properties and tenants.


Advice is offered on what type of alarm sensors should be used and where they should be fitted within a property, explaining why alarms should be connected together, along with ways to minimise mess and disruption when the alarms are being fitted.