Do you have a smoke alarm?

DUTR

peachyprice wrote: »

Really?

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/former-fire-minister-makes-case-for-compulsory-smoke-alarms/7003614.article

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/content/smoke-alarms

https://www.tenancyagreementservice.co.uk/fire-safety

http://www.belvoir.co.uk/is-it-a-legal-requirement-to-provide-smoke-alarms-in-my-rental-property-p5853

Although there are moves to make it a legal requirement.

http://www.landlordexpert.co.uk/blog/2014/06/04/smoke-alarms-in-private-rental-market-gains-momentum/

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/former-fire-minister-makes-case-for-compulsory-smoke-alarms/7003614.article

Dude.

So if it isn't it will be, and at present it's a good will gesture?
From I understand it from a few years back, they have to be fitted, or it was certainly worded in a way that if they were not fitted, then the premise would not be approved to let out.
Dude, the visitor was correct to ask the OP's relative if detectors were fitted, as whilst they may not cause a fire , they may gain the occupants valuable time to be around to tell the tale, what price can you put on life?

Gloomendoom

We have only got one smoke alarm and I really need to get at least one more. We do have a CO alarm in every room with a fireplace though.

peachyprice

DUTR wrote: »

So if it isn't it will be, and at present it's a good will gesture?
From I understand it from a few years back, they have to be fitted, or it was certainly worded in a way that if they were not fitted, then the premise would not be approved to let out.
Dude, the visitor was correct to ask the OP's relative if detectors were fitted, as whilst they may not cause a fire , they may gain the occupants valuable time to be around to tell the tale, what price can you put on life?

Yes, that's right, not a legal requirement, although some local authorities do word their landlord regulation to read as if it is. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later, at the moment it's just 'best practice', nothing more.

Of course the HV was correct to ask if they were fitted, I never said anything different, but she was wrong when she said by law they had to be fitted by the landlord.

It's madness not to have them fitted, but to live in a property without one just because the landlord hasn't fitted one is just irresponsible, isn't it the first thing you look for? As you say what price for a life? Evidently a few pounds to some who won't fit them themselves in houses where landlords don't have to.

Frith

We live in a tiny cottage (10x18 feet) so have one on the landing. None downstairs due to wood burner and oven setting them off constantly. The stairs are open so a more than normal amount of smoke downstairs sets the alarm off.

Our neighbours had a tea towel fall on their aga and set on fire in the middle of the night and the smoke alarm woke them up and possibly saved their lives.

rachiibell

Me and my friend live in a rented house which has been converted into flats. Over Christmas we were making mulled wine and accidentally left it simmering on too high a heat whilst watching a film. When we went to get a refill the entire kitchen was filled with smoke and it was quite scary. We realised that our flat didn't have a smoke alarm in all. Obviously we should have checked but we just assumed that it would do. Will always check in future!

KxMx

I live in a council property and it is our responsibility to do smoke alarms, we have battery powered ones that we screwed into the wall ourselves, after the ones here when me moved in died (very old fashioned type).

SailorSam

I've got two that the fire brigade fitted, but the one upstairs kept going beep and you can't replace the battery so i just prized it open a bit to shut it up. The fire brigade don't do them now ...... cutbacks; ...... cutbacks; ........ cutbacks. So i must put that on the 'to do' list.

purpleshoes_2

I live in a council flat and I got 3 fitted last year when there was an electrical upgrade done to my flat, one in my living room, one in the kitchen and one in the hall, I have a carbon monoxide detector as well, actually my previous heating system was faulty and had to be shut off due to carbon monoxide, but the council didn't given tenants them at that point and I didn't have one.

Its worth getting one of those as well I think, could save your life.

Lily-Rose_3

kingfisherblue wrote: »

My local paper has published an article on their website about the amount of accidental fires. Almost a quarter of houses where an accidental fire occurred did not have smoke alarms. I thought this was quite a high percentage, as there are frequently adverts about getting them installed and testing them regularly.

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/11707058.Communities_urged_to_step_up_smoke_alarm_checks/

My daughter had a baby two weeks ago, and when the health visitor came out yesterday, she asked if my daughter and her partner had working smoke alarms. She also said that if the house is rented, the landlord had a responsibility to supply them (I don't know how true this is, as I have never lived in rented property).

So, do you have a smoke alarm and do you check it regularly? I do, and my mum has a couple too. We both check them. I don't know about her friend, though, who is quite elderly and lives alone. I'm popping round later, so I'll take the opportunity to (tactfully!) check.

We are in a housing association bungalow now, and we have 2. One by the front door, in the hall between the kitchen and lounge, and one in the 'landing' area where the bedrooms are.

But when we were in private let, the property never had a smoke alarm, and our landlady never bothered supplying one, even though we highlighted it to her (and the agent) several times that they needed to get smoke alarms for us!

I sometimes light incense sticks after we have been cooking/eating and sometimes I will put it in the front hall (it's between the kitchen and lounge,) and around once a month, it sets off the smoke alarm! :eek: It only goes off for 10 seconds or so, but yes, the alarms are definitely working!

Wilma33

Callie22 wrote: »

In our last-but-one rented house I asked the landlord if I could fit two smoke alarms, as there weren't any. He wouldn't let me as he said that they might 'damage the house' (I suspect a fire might do more damage but it was his property and since he threatened to withhold part of my deposit if I attached them to the ceiling I didn't fight him ...)

What a charming landlord! You'd think he'd care about his property burning down even if he didn't care about you!