Buy-to-let Responsibilities

sneekymum

Wake up landlords - & wouldbe buy-to-letters - you have a responsibility to install fire detecting and fighting equipment. Smoke detectors should be of the wired-in variety and have an annual inspection - as must all the electrics & gas appliances.

Three children died today in a rented house -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4621527.stm

Early indications are that no smoke detector was fitted - if this is true then the landlord should get a lenghty stay in prison.

trafalgar_2

so very very sad when a smoke detector gives vital time to escape

deemy2004

I doubt the landlord would get ANY prison sentence for not fitting a fire alarm. Now if the fire started due to a faulty unapproved gas boiler etc.. Then probably...

I think the law refers to fire detectors for multiple non related occupants... i.e. bedsits

trafalgar_2

Yopur quite right Deemy,it seems there is no legal requirement for a landlord to install smoke alarms unless the house is multiple occupancy...........a law that clearly needs to be changed IMO

paint

I agree that smoke alarms should be made a legal requirement going forward; but surely the onus is mainly on individuals to ensure the safety of their families. If a home doesn't have a smoke alarm, then the responsibility is with the occupant to ensure their own safety and that of their family by installing one, or asking the landlord to install one.

Faulty and unapproved gas appliances are another matter - I had dealings with a scumbag landlord regarding a 'condemned' gas fire some years ago. The slimy little gobsh!te.

sneekymum

While I'm against a nanny society its certainly the case that the most vulnerable people end up in the very worst rented property - these are people who may not even know smoke detectors exist - and in any case may be struggling to get by on a few pounds a week - the legal duty of care extends way beyond a list of rules drawn up.

Yes - You must intall smoke detectors.

Landlords are under a common law duty to ensure that the property they provide is safe. All residential properties in England and Wales should comply with building regulations on aspects such as:

Means of emergency escape, particularly where sleeping accommodation is provided on 2nd and 3rd floors
Fire doors and emergency exits, passages and escape routes
Fire alarms and fire extinguishers

Natelle_2

The information on this page might clarify the situation with regards the legality and the landlord's responsibilty.
http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/fire_safety.htm

Plasticman

sneekymum wrote:

Yes - You must intall smoke detectors.

This isn't a legal requirement for landlords but I'm sure it won't be too long before a landlord is sued for not providing a safe environment. Unfortunately this will follow the death of some poor tenant.



I wonder where our priorities are when we have huge amounts of red tape introduced to stop DIYers adding a couple of extra power sockets in their houses but fail to make landlords introduce basic safety measures in their properties.

garysletters

It is not a landlords responsibility to fit smoke alarms unless it is a HMO (with multiple families/individuals living together).

As for our "duty", i agree with paint. If a family/individual is renting a property without a smoke alarm, then ask the landlord if its OK to get one put in. The family/ individual can then buy one (or 2) or even get em for free from the fire station in some places. They cost a few quid.
If, as your saying sneekymum, the family couldn't afford lets say £5 for the alarm......whats to say they'd pay £2 for a battery for it!!!

While your asking for us to provide a safe environment, why dont you get us to install padded walls, and metal kitchens so they dont burn, and only rent out bungalows so you cant fall down a staircase????

Landlords HAVE to get gas appliances certified each year.
We also have to have any gas or electric alterations carried out and certified by fully qualified corgi/part P registered workers (much stricter/ more expensive than ordinary sparkies and plumbers).

The tenants have a responsibility for their own safety too you know!

lipidicman

Where the landlord has to fit them, they should be mains wired linked units- we have these in our own home - so there are no battery issues - except for the power failure backup

garysletters

this is true, and the smoke detectors should also be wired up to a fire panel in these HMO's. also fire doors should be fitted and fireproof plasterboard used in stairwells etc. There are loads of fire regs for HMO's.

when I mentioned the battery, I was meaning in this case where a hard wired system wasn't installed. I was just stating that if parents can't afford a battery powered alarm then what chance would there be of them affording to keep it working. Sorry for not being clear on that.