This question formed part of a nationwide YouGov survey
carried out for Cheshire fire and rescue service. Unsurprisingly 93%
of survey respondents agreed that landlords in the private rental
sector should be legally obliged to provide a working smoke alarm in
their properties.
1 in 10 households do not have a working smoke alarm
Very successful public awareness campaigns over the past
decade to raise the importance of having a working smoke alarm at
home, has lead to a 90% uptake on smoke alarms in homes. However,
there are still households which either have no alarm at all or do
not test their smoke alarms regularly. Households with no means of
being alerted to a house fire are 4 times more likely to die as a
result of a house fire than households with a working smoke alarm.
Unfortunately, as great the success is, this still
leaves a worrying 2.5 million homes without any smoke alarm
protection. The research from the survey revealed that the main
problem lies in the private rented sector with 1 in 5 private rented
homes that do not have a working smoke alarm. This is double the
findings of households in the social housing sector.
Get into the habit of testing your smoke alarm
If you do have a smoke alarm, it is important to test it.
One of our favourite
campaigns which we play an active part in here at Fulcher Edwards is
the social #testittuesday campaign. The idea behind #testittuesday
is to raise awareness of the importance of testing your smoke alarm.
To be sure a fire alarm is working effectively – whether it is
battery or mains powered is to test it regularly. Ideally every week.
No matter how long it is since you have tested your smoke alarm it
is never too late to start!
Getting into the habit
of testing your smoke alarm on a weekly basis could save your life –
never depend on a smoke alarm beeping to inform you of a problem!
Test it Tuesday is a great initiative to encourage householders to
test their smoke alarms on a Tuesday.
Growing pressure on the Government to make working
smoke alarms mandatory
In order to address the area where there is the greatest
need, the Government have tabled a motion called the 10 minute rule
which if approved will result in a working smoke alarm becoming a
mandatory requirement in all privately rented properties.
There is wide spread support from this amongst the
rental sector with the British Property Federation being in full
support of the motion. In addition, the recently introduced Energy
Act 2013 contains a clause which would allow for the motion to go
ahead.
Smoke alarm costs
Smoke alarms do not
have to be high cost. Simple battery powered smoke alarms with a 10
year battery life are very low cost and equate to around £1.50 per
year when spread over the life of a battery. It is very low price to
pay for a device that could save lives.
Landlords – know your obligations
Here at Fulcher
Edwards, we are very active in promoting fire safety and indeed we
have our own team of electricians in South East London who specialise
in fire safety systems. We work with many landlords across the
private rented sector who take the fire safety of their tenants very
seriously.
As a landlord, you
will be aware that there are different legal requirements between
blocks of flats and houses with multiple occupation as against one
property with one family living there. As such, it is not only
essential that you are meeting the requirements, but the measures
taken must also be effective in the event of a fire breaking out in
the different property types.
We work with many
landlords installing effective fire alarm systems in London that can
be as simple or advanced as necessary. We design a system that will
be best suit the needs of your rental properties. This can include
advice on where best to place smoke alarm detectors along with the
installation and maintenance of them to ensure you as a landlord
comply with the current British standards.
And if you have a smoke alarm...
Make sure it works by testing it weekly. It is also
worth ensuring the vents around the alarm are kept clear of dust and
grime. A quick vacuum around it now and again will ensure your smoke
alarm is working at its best.
Never remove a smoke alarm once it has been placed and
never remove the batteries or obstruct the alarm by covering it with
objects or paint.
If you suspect there is a problem with your smoke alarm
– it is important to contact your landlord as soon as possible.
Remember a fire alarm is there to protect you from the dangers of
house fires. A good working smoke alarm should not bother you on a
day to day basis, if it does please inform your landlord.
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