NEW FIRE  REGULATIONS IN SCOTLAND 

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in London the Scottish Government announced new fire and safety standards to ensure all households including homeowners, private landlords and social housing are protected against fire and carbon monoxide.

From 1st February 2019 the new legislation requires all households to have at least:

• One Smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes
• One Smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings
• One Heat alarm installed in every kitchen
• A Carbon monoxide alarm detector where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance such as boilers, fires (including open fires), heaters and stoves or a flue.

Homeowners who do not comply by February 2021 could be subject to comments about the properties non-compliance on any home report or receive an order from the relevant Local Authority requesting they bring the property up to standard. Housing associations whose properties are not compliant by the effective date will have the relevant action taken against them by the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Allowance has been made to permit tamper proof long-life lithium battery alarms to be installed or mains-operated alarms with battery backup. Regardless of the type installed all smoke and heat detectors must be interlinked and ceiling mounted.

It is the property owner’s responsibility to meet this new standard. Households with alarms already fitted will need to ensure that they are interlinked so they will be alerted immediately no matter where the fire starts.

Please click on the photos  below for further information.