UK Statutory Instrument 2015 United Kingdom

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015

What this means for your business

4 obligations
1 penalties
2 guides
Enforced by
Ofgem, NSTA, ONR
Applies to
United Kingdom
On this page
4 compliance obligations, 2 practical guides
Read full text on legislation.gov.uk

What you must do

4 compliance obligations under this legislation.

Equipment and safety 1

Install and maintain smoke and carbon‑monoxide alarms

If you let a property as a landlord, you must put a working smoke alarm on every floor that has a bedroom or living space, and a carbon‑monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed fuel‑burning appliance (except a gas cooker). You also have to check the alarms are working on the day a new tenancy starts and fix or replace any alarm that a tenant tells you isn’t working as soon as reasonably possible.

Landlord/Property Owner s.4 NSTA when you let a property under a specified tenancy (i.e., the premises …

Management duties 1

Carry out remedial action when issued a notice

Unlimited fine

If the local council serves you a remedial notice because your rental property lacks the required smoke or carbon‑monoxide alarms, you must fix the problem within the time limit set in the notice (or within 21 days after a suspension is lifted). You only avoid breach if you can show you took all reasonable steps to comply.

Landlord/Property Owner s.6 NSTA A remedial notice is served on you for breaching alarm duties under …

Notifications 1

Serve notice to request review of penalty charge

If you receive a penalty charge notice for a breach of the smoke or carbon‑monoxide alarm duty, you must send a written request to the local housing authority asking them to review the notice. This request has to be made within the time‑limit set out in regulation 9(1)(e). Failing to do so means you lose the chance to have the notice changed or withdrawn.

Landlord/Property Owner s.10 NSTA Within the period specified in regulation 9(1)(e) after receiving a penalty charge …

Payments and fees 1

Respond to penalty charge notice within the required time

If a local housing authority serves you a penalty charge notice for missing or faulty smoke or carbon‑monoxide alarms, you must either pay the fine or ask the authority to review the notice within the period shown on the notice (at least 28 days). Acting within the first 14 days may give you a reduction in the amount payable.

Landlord/Property Owner s.9 NSTA When you are served a penalty charge notice under the Smoke and …

Penalties for non-compliance

1 penalty under this legislation. 1 carry an unlimited fine.

Unlimited fine

Carry out remedial action when issued a notice

Unlimited fine

Administrative/Civil penalty s.6 Penalises: Carry out remedial action when issued a notice

Practical guidance

Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.

Sections and provisions

17 classified provisions from this legislation.

Duties 6

  • s.4 Duties of relevant landlord in relation to prescribed alarms required repair or replacement
  • s.6 Duty of relevant landlord to comply with a remedial notice
  • s.7 Duty of local housing authority to arrange remedial action local housing authority
  • s.9 Content of penalty charge notice
  • s.10 Review of penalty charge notice
  • s.13 Information to be published by local housing authority

Offences and penalties 1

  • s.5 Duty of local housing authority to serve a remedial notice

Powers 3

  • s.8 Penalty for breach of the duty under regulation 6(1) or (1A)
  • s.11 Appeals
  • s.12 Recovery of penalty charge

Definitions 4

  • s.2 Interpretation authorised person penalty charge prescribed alarm
  • s.3 Meaning of “relevant landlord”
  • s.16 Review
  • Excluded tenancies Excluded tenancies couple relative long lease