Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: landlord rules
Short answer. Since 1 October 2022, private landlords in England must fit at least one smoke alarm on every storey of a rented home that has a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation. They must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or wood burner, but not a gas cooker. Alarms must be checked as working on the first day of each new tenancy. Landlords must repair or replace an alarm once told it is faulty. Councils can serve a remedial notice and impose a penalty of up to £5,000. The rules come from the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022.
Alarm rules are cheap to meet and easy to forget. They apply to almost every private tenancy in England, and to social housing too. Here is what you must do.
Smoke alarms
- At least one smoke alarm on every storey with a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
- A bathroom or toilet counts as living accommodation for this purpose.
- A hallway or landing is a sensible place, but follow the manufacturer's guidance.
- Battery or mains-wired alarms both meet the regulations. Sealed long-life battery alarms avoid tenants removing batteries.
Carbon monoxide alarms
- A carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance.
- This covers gas, oil and solid fuel appliances such as boilers, fires and wood burners.
- Gas cookers are excluded.
- Position alarms as the manufacturer advises, usually at head height and away from the appliance.
If you install a new fixed combustion appliance, building regulations also require a carbon monoxide alarm in the room.
Checks and repairs
- Day one. Check every alarm works on the first day of each new tenancy. Record the check, ideally with the tenant's signature on the inventory.
- During the tenancy. Tenants are encouraged to test alarms regularly. Tell them how.
- Faults. Once you are told an alarm is faulty, you must repair or replace it.
Since 1 May 2026 tenancies roll on as periodic tenancies, so new tenancies will mostly arise when a new tenant moves in. Do the day-one check every time.
Enforcement
If a council believes you have breached the rules it must serve a remedial notice. If you do not comply within 28 days, it must arrange the work where the occupier consents and can impose a penalty of up to £5,000.
HMOs and licensed properties
HMOs and licensed properties often have stricter fire safety conditions, such as interlinked mains-wired systems. Your licence conditions and the council's fire safety guidance apply on top of these minimum rules. Check your licence.
Costs and practical tips
- Buy alarms that meet the relevant British Standards. For smoke alarms, BS EN 14604. For carbon monoxide alarms, BS EN 50291.
- Note the replacement date. Most alarms have a fixed life printed on them.
- Photograph each alarm at check-in with the date.
- Keep a simple log per property: alarm locations, type, fitted date, expiry date and day-one checks.
What to tell your tenants
The regulations put the duties on the landlord, but tenants play a part. At move-in, show them where each alarm is and how to test it. Ask them to test alarms regularly, not to remove batteries or cover alarms, and to tell you straight away if an alarm beeps, fails a test or is damaged. Put this in writing in your move-in pack. When a tenant reports a fault, log the date and the date you fixed it. That record shows you met your duty to repair or replace once told.
Working out which rooms need a CO alarm
Walk through each property and list every fixed appliance that burns fuel. For each one, ask whether it is in a room used as living accommodation. A typical result:
| Appliance and location | CO alarm needed |
|---|---|
| Gas combi boiler in a kitchen used for living | Yes |
| Gas boiler in a bedroom cupboard opening into the bedroom | Yes, in the bedroom |
| Wood burner in a lounge | Yes |
| Gas hob or gas cooker only | Not required by these rules |
| Boiler in a separate garage not used as living space | Not required by these rules, but often sensible |
Fitting more alarms than the minimum is cheap and gives tenants more protection. Many landlords fit a CO alarm near every gas appliance as standard.
Why evidence matters
With section 21 gone, disputes are more likely to turn on evidence. A complete alarm log, alongside gas and electrical records, helps if a tenant complains, if a council inspects, or if a case reaches the future Landlord Ombudsman. See the compliance checklist.
Questions
Where do landlords need smoke alarms?
At least one on every storey with a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
Where do I need a carbon monoxide alarm?
In any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers.
Does a gas boiler in a kitchen need a CO alarm?
Yes, if the kitchen is used as living accommodation and the boiler is a fixed combustion appliance. Gas cookers alone do not trigger the rule.
Do alarms have to be mains-wired?
Not under these regulations. HMO licence conditions or building regulations may require more.
When must I test the alarms?
On the first day of each new tenancy. Repair or replace any alarm once told it is faulty.
What is the penalty?
A council can impose a penalty of up to £5,000 if you do not comply with a remedial notice.