Smoke & CO Alarm Installation in Wandsworth

The regulations do not specify a particular type, but the alarm must be in working order at the start of each tenancy. Mains-powered alarms with battery backup are recommended for reliability and longevity, as battery-only alarms require more frequent replacement. Interlinked alarms (where one sounding triggers all alarms in the property) provide the best protection and are increasingly expected by local authorities for HMO licensing. The alarm must comply with BS EN 14604 (smoke alarms) or BS EN 50291 (CO alarms).

At least one smoke alarm must be installed on each storey that contains a room used as living accommodation — ideally on the ceiling in the hallway or landing. A carbon monoxide alarm must be in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance such as a gas boiler, gas fire, wood-burning stove, or oil-fired heater. Gas cookers are explicitly excluded. CO alarms should be positioned at head height on a wall or on the ceiling, between 1 and 3 metres from the appliance. Alarms should not be placed in kitchens (to avoid false alarms from cooking) or bathrooms.

The 2022 amendment extended the duty to apply to all relevant tenancies, not just at the start of a new tenancy. Landlords must ensure alarms are installed and in working order during any existing tenancy, not only when a new tenant moves in. This was a significant change from the original 2015 regulations, which only required compliance at the start of a tenancy.

The local housing authority can serve a remedial notice requiring the landlord to install alarms within 28 days. If the landlord fails to comply, the authority can arrange installation itself and impose a penalty charge of up to £5,000. The penalty is per offence — so a landlord with multiple non-compliant properties could face multiple fines. There is a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal against a penalty charge notice.

The landlord must ensure alarms are in working order at the start of each tenancy. During the tenancy, the tenant is generally expected to test alarms regularly and replace batteries in battery-operated alarms. However, if an alarm is faulty or reaches the end of its life (typically 10 years for smoke alarms, 5–7 years for CO alarms), the landlord is responsible for replacement. For HMO licensing, the landlord usually retains ongoing responsibility for alarm maintenance throughout the tenancy.

Wandsworth Council has historically taken a lighter-touch approach to licensing compared to some inner-London boroughs, but enforcement activity has increased in recent years. The borough's large stock of period conversions means that fire safety between flats (compartmentation, fire doors, detection) is a recurring issue flagged in fire risk assessments. EPC compliance is also a focus for the large buy-to-let market. The general legal requirements for smoke & co alarm installation apply across England, but London Borough of Wandsworth may have additional conditions attached to property licences or local enforcement priorities that affect how the requirements are applied in practice.

Wandsworth is a large, relatively affluent South London borough with a strong buy-to-let market. Housing ranges from grand Victorian and Edwardian properties in Battersea and Balham (many subdivided into flats), inter-war semis and terraces in Tooting, and modern riverside developments along the Thames at Battersea. The area around Clapham Junction has a particularly high density of converted flats and HMOs. The borough also has pockets of social housing, including several large estates managed by housing associations. Common property types that require this service include Victorian and Edwardian houses converted into flats, inter-war terraces and semis, modern riverside developments, HMOs near Clapham Junction. The specific requirements depend on the property type, tenure, and how the building is used.