Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations for Landlords

A Simple Obligation That Saves Lives

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are among the cheapest and most effective safety measures you can install in a rental property. They cost a few pounds each, take minutes to fit, and they save lives. As a private landlord in England, installing and maintaining these alarms is a legal requirement — and one of the simplest compliance obligations you will ever have to meet.

The rules were strengthened in October 2022, and the requirements are now clearer than ever. If you are not already fully compliant, this guide will tell you exactly what you need to do. These rules form part of the broader fire safety regulations for rental properties that every private landlord in England must follow.

Smoke and CO alarms are the most cost-effective safety investment a landlord can make. There is no excuse for not having them.

The Legal Framework

The primary legislation is the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which updated the original 2015 Regulations. These apply to all properties let under an assured tenancy in England — which covers the vast majority of private rentals.

What You Must Install

Smoke Alarms

You must have at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property that contains a room used as living accommodation. "Living accommodation" includes bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, studies, and any other room where someone might spend time — it does not include common stairs or landings in a block of flats (though separate fire safety regulations may apply to communal areas).

In practice, for most rental properties:

• A two-storey house needs at least two smoke alarms — one on each floor
• A single-storey flat needs at least one smoke alarm
• A three-storey property needs at least three

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

You must have a carbon monoxide alarm in every room that contains a fixed combustion appliance — except gas cookers. This includes:

• Rooms with a gas boiler
• Rooms with a gas fire or gas heater
• Rooms with a wood-burning stove or open fire
• Rooms with an oil-fired heater or boiler

Types of Alarms

The regulations do not mandate a specific type of alarm, but you should consider the following options:

Battery-Operated Alarms

The cheapest option. Modern sealed lithium battery alarms last for 10 years and require no battery replacement during that period. They are easy to install and suitable for most properties.

Mains-Wired Alarms

Wired into the property's electrical circuit with a battery backup. More reliable than battery-only alarms and required in new-build properties. If your property already has mains-wired alarms, maintain them — they are the gold standard.

Interlinked Alarms

When one alarm sounds, they all sound. This is particularly valuable in larger properties or multi-storey homes where a tenant may not hear an alarm on a different floor. Interlinked systems are available in both mains-wired and wireless (radio-frequency linked) versions.

Testing Obligations

You must ensure that alarms are in proper working order on the day the tenancy begins. The regulations specifically require you to test every alarm at the start of each new tenancy.

1. Test every smoke alarm by pressing the test button and confirming the alarm sounds. Do this on the day the tenant moves in, or as close to it as possible.
2. Test every carbon monoxide alarm in the same way. Check the expiry date — CO alarms have a limited lifespan (typically 5–7 years) and must be replaced when they expire.
3. Record the test. Note the date, which alarms were tested, and the result. Have the tenant sign a confirmation if possible.
4. Provide the tenant with information about the alarms — how to test them, what to do if one sounds, and how to report a fault.

During the Tenancy

The regulations place the testing obligation on the landlord at the start of the tenancy. During the tenancy, the tenant is responsible for testing alarms regularly and replacing batteries in battery-operated units (unless they are sealed long-life batteries).

However, if a tenant reports that an alarm is faulty, you should replace it promptly as part of your repair and maintenance obligations. Do not wait until the next tenancy.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Local authorities enforce these regulations. If you fail to comply:

1. The local authority will serve a remedial notice requiring you to install the missing alarms within 28 days
2. If you do not comply with the notice, the authority can arrange installation itself and recover costs from you
3. The authority can also impose a financial penalty of up to £5,000

Common Mistakes

• Not installing alarms on every floor. A common oversight in houses converted to flats — each self-contained unit needs its own alarms on every storey of that unit
• Placing alarms in the wrong location. Alarms should be mounted on the ceiling, ideally in the centre of the room or hallway. Avoid placing them near windows, doors, or extractor fans where airflow might prevent smoke from reaching the sensor
• Forgetting to check CO alarm expiry dates. Unlike smoke alarms with sealed 10-year batteries, many CO alarms have shorter lifespans. Check the date on the back of the unit
• Not testing at the start of each new tenancy. The obligation applies to every new tenancy, not just the first one. If your property is re-let, test the alarms again
• Relying on tenants to report faults. Include alarm checks in your periodic property inspections. If you manage your rental property without a letting agent, build alarm checks into your inspection routine

Going Beyond the Minimum

The regulations set a floor, not a ceiling. Consider these additional measures:

• Install heat alarms in kitchens. They are less prone to false alarms from cooking than smoke detectors
• Fit interlinked alarms so that a fire or CO detection in one room alerts occupants throughout the property
• Use sealed long-life battery alarms to avoid the problem of tenants removing batteries
• Add alarms in rooms with electric heaters — while not required by the regulations, carbon monoxide can be produced by any faulty combustion source

Alarms and the Property Portal

Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, the new Property Portal will require landlords in England to confirm compliance with smoke and CO alarm regulations. Having a record of your alarm installations, tests, and replacement schedule will make this confirmation straightforward.

Non-compliance with basic safety requirements like alarms will be visible on the portal and will undermine your standing as a compliant landlord in England. For the sake of a few pounds and a few minutes' work, full compliance is the only sensible approach.

Further Reading

• Fire Safety Regulations for Rental Properties — The full picture on fire doors, escape routes, furniture rules, and HMO requirements.
• Gas Safety Certificate: Landlord Guide 2026 — Annual gas safety checks and CO risks from combustion appliances.
• Electrical Safety Certificate: Landlord Requirements — EICR inspections and electrical compliance for private landlords in England.