You may have seen the leaflets and fliers being posted through your letterbox about new fire safety regs.
Home owners in Scotland could soon face having to pay over £200 for new smoke and heat detectors, as new safety regualtions come into effect.
The rules, which are already in place for private rented properties, are set to become mandatory in all home across the country.
The Rules
New standards from the Scottish Government will now require households to have certain smoke and heat detectors by law.
From February 2021, all homes must have a certain range of detectors to comply with the latest health and safety laws.
Part of the Scottish Government's commitment to home safety, they are designed to protect the country from house fires.
The new detector systems requirements
These detectors are as following:
- A smoke alarm in the living room and in circulation spaces such as hallways and landings
- A heat alarm in every kitchen
- A carbon monoxide alarm where there are fixed combustion appliances such as boilers and wood burners
- All alarms must be ceiling mounted and interlinked
Online Guidance
Due to Covid 19 restrictions it's not possible for the Local Fire Safety Officer to visit every household, therefore the Scottish Fire Service have created an online self assessment form to help with guidance - it can accessed here.
Are homeowners expected to pay?
According to the government, the new rules are part of their commitment to home safety.
However, the new guidance also states that any costs will be the responsibility of “home owners and landlords”, with the average cost for the new alarms and fitting them estimated at £220.
This is clearly stated by the government, who added: “The cost of the alarms will vary according to what you currently have in place and the alarms you choose to install.
“We estimate that the cost for an average three bedroom house which requires three smoke alarms, one heat alarm and one carbon monoxide detector will be around £220.
“This is based on using the type of alarms that you can install by yourself without the need for an electrician for installing a hard-wired alarm.”
With the new regulations coming into force in February 2021, Scottish home owners now have a period of less than five months to comply.
You can find more information on the new rules and alarm specifications by following the link here.
