The Government has launched a consultation paper seeking views
on proposals to require the mandatory installation of smoke and
carbon monoxide alarms in social housing.
The Social Housing White Paper reported that of the 4.6 million
social rented homes in England, according to the findings of the
English Housing Survey 2018/19 around 200,000 social homes are
without a working smoke alarm and over 2.3million are without a
working carbon monoxide alarm. Alongside the White Paper, the
Government has therefore launched a consultation on extending the
requirements for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms including the
introduction of new requirements for the mandatory installation of
alarms in social housing.
The consultation seeks views on:
a. Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England)
Regulations 2015 to require social landlords to ensure at least one
smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the premises on which
there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
b. Amending the statutory guidance (Approved Document J)
supporting Part J of the Building Regulations to require that
carbon monoxide alarms are fitted alongside the installation of
fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type (excluding gas
cookers).
c. Amending the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England)
Regulations 2015 to require private and social landlords to install
a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation
where a fixed combustion appliance is used (excluding gas
cookers).
Full details of the consultation are available on the Government website
and the consultation closes on 11 January 2021.
The consultation paper suggests a need for 300,000 additional
smoke alarms in the social rented sector at a cost of some £21
million over a 10-year period. The net additional cost to the
social rented sector of installing carbon monoxide alarms is
estimated to be £128 million over a 10-year period.
ARCH would welcome the views of ARCH member councils on these
proposals and in particular the estimated additional costs of
meeting these requirements in your council housing stock. Please
email your comments, views and cost estimates to ARCH Chief
Executive John Bibby: john.bibby@arch-housing.org.uk.