Landlords: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Rules for Rented Homes
A plain-English guide to a landlord's duties on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in England, including testing, repairs and penalties.
If you let out a home in England, you have legal duties around smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The rules were extended in October 2022 and they apply to private landlords and social housing providers alike.
What you must provide
Under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, as amended in 2022, a relevant landlord must make sure that there is at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property that is used as living accommodation. A carbon monoxide alarm is needed in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler, wood burner or open fire. Gas cookers are excluded from that requirement.
Testing and repairs
Each alarm must be in working order on the day a new tenancy begins. After that, if you are told that an alarm is faulty, you must repair or replace it. It is sensible to test alarms at the start of every tenancy and to give tenants clear instructions on testing them regularly, but the responsibility to put faults right stays with the landlord.
Enforcement
Local authorities enforce the regulations. If they believe a landlord has not complied, they can serve a remedial notice, and failing to comply with that notice can lead to a financial penalty of up to £5,000.
More than the minimum
The regulations set minimum standards. Larger or more complex properties, and houses in multiple occupation, often need more than stand-alone alarms, for example interlinked mains-powered detection throughout the escape routes. Your local council's licensing conditions may also set higher standards than the national minimum.
How L.A.R. Group can help
We supply and fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and interlinked fire detection for landlords and letting agents across Barnsley and South Yorkshire. Call 07778 563 429 or email info@lar-group.co.uk.
General information only, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 2026.
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