Consultation on Fire and Smoke Alarms in Scottish Homes

For your views on possible changes to standards required for fire and smoke alarms in Scottish Homes. We proposed extending the current minimum safe standards in private rented housing to other tenures. There will be a two year period for compliance once the regulations are in force and it is intended that these will be laid in Parliament later in 2018.

In total, there were 122 responses to the consultation, of which 63 were from organisations (including housing associations, local authorities, lettings agents, residents associations and fire safety consultants) and 59 were from individuals.

There was very strong support for a common new minimum standard for fire and smoke detectors across all housing, regardless of tenure. The main reasons given were that all properties should be safe for occupants and that tenure is not relevant. There was also strong support for the new standard to be based on the standard currently applying to private rented property which many respondents felt is a good minimum standard that adequately covers fire safety risks.

We published an analysis of the responses on 18 March 2018.

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/03/9509

The Scottish Government has committed to extending the existing high standard required in private rented housing to all homes. The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 will be amended to reflect the new requirements.  The amended standard will cover all homes. 

This would require:

• at least one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes,
• at least one smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings,
• at least one heat alarm installed in every kitchen,
• all alarms should be ceiling mounted, and
• all alarms should be interlinked.

The following changes to this standard, all supported by the responses to the consultation, are also proposed:

• to allow specified types of sealed long-life battery alarms as well as mains-wired alarms - reflecting the availability of appropriate technology and will encourage compliance;
• to specify a maximum age of ten years for alarms; and
• to require carbon monoxide detectors in all homes.