New Scottish legislation for Fire and Smoke alarms – are you compliant?
All homes in Scotland are required to meet the new legislation by February 2022.
Scottish legislation has changed. Introduced in February 2019, the change applies to all households in Scotland and must be met by February 2022. The new Scottish legislation states that an interlinked Fire and Smoke alarm system must be fitted in a property and that there should be adequate Carbon Monoxide protection.
This legislative change to the Tolerable Standard has come as a direct result of recent fire tragedies and covers all homes, both in the private and social housing sectors.
The latest regulations will affect all households across Scotland, including new build developments and existing dwellings. This includes both private and rented properties, which must comply with the new Standard by the NEW date of February 2022, this was extended from the previous deadline of 2021.
The updated Scottish Tolerable Standard requires all properties to have an interlinked fire and smoke alarm system. This must be supported by adequate carbon monoxide (CO) protection if there is a flue-burning appliance or flue present within the property. Any existing alarms must also be reviewed under the new guidance to ensure they meet the revised criteria.
In order to achieve compliance, a property must have one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general living purposes, such as the living room.
An additional smoke alarm must also be fitted in every circulation space on each storey, including hallways and landings, while a heat alarm should be installed in each kitchen. To comply with the latest regulations, all smoke and heat alarms should be ceiling mounted, long-life and interlinked.
Finally, a CO alarm must be installed in every room where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance, such as a boiler, fire or stove.
The improved legislation outlined within the Housing (Scotland Act) and Scottish Housing Quality Standard is being enforced in response to the Grenfell Tower fire to help reduce deaths in household fires. It aims to provide individuals living within all types of properties with an increased level of protection.
