Buy-to-let landlords across the UK should be responsible for the installation of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, according to a new report.
Under existing regulations, landlords are legally required to provide CO alarms in all properties in Scotland, but in England and Wales landlords are only obliged to provide a CO alarm in properties with a solid fuel appliance, i.e. coal or wood burning stoves. But MPs want that to change.
MPs this week called on the government to make it illegal for a landlord not to install Co alarms in post-Grenfell Tower building regulations review.
With up to 1.6 million rental home believed to be at risk from CO poisoning, a new report on CO, launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG), recommends that the government introduce legislation requiring all landlords to fit CO alarms.
The All-Party Group’s report - entitled Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Tenants Safe & Secure in their Homes - suggest that there is a need for a ‘fundamental health and safety review’ following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower.
Barry Sheerman MP, co-chair of the APPCOG, said: “Housing regulations have become a pressing issue – with pressures on housing market provision, more people moving into the rental market, and the population growing, we have to make sure that people are safe and secure in every home from CO.”
Eddie Hughes MP added: “Research, lived experiences and data all demonstrate that now is the time to take action to protect families where they live.
“This report is especially timely as the Government looks to achieve its commitment to safeguard the more vulnerable in our society.”
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Don't disagree with this however would have been better to have included this with the smoke alarm regulations
Not much point in an all electric property
Another cost for the landlords. What about the millions of homeowners who don't have to have Carbon monoxide or smoke alarms.
It is about time tenants took responsibility for their own lives!
Good idea, I've done it already. 10 alarms, £20 each, 7 year battery life. Total cost £30 per year. Tenants were very impressed. Apart from the peace of mind we both now have, I have gained significant gratitude and loads of 'brownie points'
I installed one in our own lounge (has a wood buring stove), got lots of brownie points from the missus too!
What about the numbers of CO2 alarms in private housing?
Have we reached a point where the few are over regulated, but the many are OK? If it was that important, why aren't all 27m homes forced to service boilers every year, have smoke alarms and co2, or doesn't it really matter that only 4m homes should be protected?
What’s the point,currently you need them for any properties that have solid fuel burners which generate CO, so that’s fine. why have them when you don’t have CO sources.
All properties that have ANY source of combustion should have CO alarms.
However due to the nature of CO in that it can leak into adjacent properties CO alarms should be installed in EVERY property.
You really don't want to be killed by CO leaking from an adjacent property.
2 flats adjacent to me suffered CO issues which could have resulted in 7 dead tenants!!
Properties are not gas tight and CO can leak into adjacent properties.
Far better to play safe and have a CO alarm on every floor.
If you want to go overboard have a CO and smoke detector hard wired in every room.
The relatively small costs in the overall scheme of things is surely worthwhile!!
After all dead tenants DON'T pay rent!!-
Look at CO and Smoke detectors as instruments to ensure the rental income stream continues uninterrupted!!!
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