CO alarm requirement for landlords in England took effect

Landlords in England became subject to a new carbon monoxide alarm duty on 1 October 2022. The Health and Safety Executive states that from that date "all relevant landlords must provide a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers)"¹. The change was made by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022, which followed debate in the Second Committee for Delegated Legislation on 20 June and approval in the House of Commons on 21 June³.

The duty applies to private and social sector landlords, who must also repair or replace alarms once informed that they are faulty³. Cadent, which describes itself as the largest gas distribution network in the UK, says a landlord found in breach could be fined up to £5,000, and that tenants can report a landlord to the HSE for not providing an alarm⁵. The IAA likewise cites a maximum fine of £5,000 for non-compliance⁶. The HSE's own guidance does not state a penalty figure¹.

The rules differ across the UK nations. Scotland has required alarms in all homes since 1 February 2022, in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (excluding one used solely for cooking) or a flue, with alarms meeting EN 50291-1 and a sealed battery lasting the alarm's lifespan³. Wales announced changes from 1 December 2022, delayed from 15 July, under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, covering gas, oil-fired and solid fuel appliances³. In Northern Ireland, alarms have been mandatory where a new fossil fuel appliance is installed since 31 October 2012, and the Private Tenancies Act received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022³.

On alarms themselves, the HSE says they cost from £15 and should comply with British Standard EN 50291 and carry a British or European approval mark such as a Kitemark¹. It adds that alarms should not be regarded as a replacement for regular maintenance and safety checks by a Gas Safe registered engineer¹. The HSE states that around seven people die each year from gas-related carbon monoxide poisoning¹, while the NHS figure cited by CO-Gas Safety is around 60 accidental deaths a year in England and Wales from severe poisoning³.

"By making carbon monoxide alarms a legal requirement, governments are sending a strong message, carbon monoxide is seriously harmful. If you don't have an alarm, you need to get one for your home as soon as possible."

Why it matters for households

For a tenant, the alarm is now part of the property's safety provision rather than something the household supplies itself, and the landlord carries the repair and replacement duty³. For an owner occupier, the English duty does not apply, but the same physical risk does: carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless and tasteless, produced when fuels including gas, oil, coal or wood do not burn properly⁵. The HSE advises that gas appliances, flues and pipework be serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer¹, and notes that without adequate ventilation and a clear flue, dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can build up¹. An alarm gives warning; it does not remove the source of the risk¹. Where a home's heating depends on a single combustion appliance, an alarm is the one element of the system that works without power, fuel or a working boiler.

What happens next

The Welsh changes were announced for 1 December 2022, delayed from 15 July³. The Private Tenancies Act in Northern Ireland, requiring alarms in privately rented homes and placing a repair duty on landlords, received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022; no commencement date is given in the sources³. No further English commencement dates are reported¹.

Sources6 cited

1. Domestic gas: frequently asked questions - HSE, hse.gov.uk
2. Domestic gas: frequently asked questions - HSE, hse.gov.uk
3. Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations: Are you ready? | CO-Gas Safety, co-gassafety.co.uk
4. Statement of Support for CO Alarms to EN 50291 | CO-Gas Safety, co-gassafety.co.uk
5. Gas safety advice - Cadent Gas Ltd, cadentgas.com
6. Carbon Monoxide Safety Guide: Alarms, Risks & Prevention Doorstep Digest | The IAA, theiaa.co.uk