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.
Fire and Smoke alarms must be interlinked and this can be achieved via traditional cabling methods or wireless. This new legislation also requires a Carbon Monoxide detector to be installed where there is a fuel-burning appliance (such as boilers, fires, heaters and stoves) or where there is a flue. Homeowners and Landlords must comply to the new Scottish legislation by February 2022.
All homes in Scotland will be covered by the new legislation, as it is important that all homes should be safe for occupants regardless of tenure. It will be the property owner’s responsibility to meet the new standard, however, the legal duty to enforce the standard rests with local authorities. Where owners are unable to meet the standard, it is not a criminal offence.
*Given the impact of COVID-19, and the difficulties this created for people seeking to install new smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, the Scottish Parliament delayed the implementation of this legislation for a period of 12 months, extending the deadline to February 2022.
If you already have Fire and Smoke alarms installed in your property, check that they are interlinked. If you have an alarm system but it does not currently meet the new requirements, you can expand your system with wireless interconnection. By having an interlinked system, the whole alarm system will be triggered if one alarm is activated meaning you are alerted immediately in the event of a fire.
If you need to expand your current alarm system, or if access to a permanent live is difficult, tamper proof long-life battery-powered alarms can be used in place of main powered alarms with the tamper-proof long-life battery back-up, providing they can be interlinked. Our 600 Series Fire and Smoke alarms are battery-powered units that meet this requirement, whereas our 3000 Series are the mains powered equivalent.
Our handy video explains everything you need to do to ensure you are compliant with the new Scottish Legislation. It includes information on what alarms you need, and where they should be installed.
This applies to ALL homeowners and landlords.
The new legislation states you must also have adequate Carbon Monoxide protection. Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell, colour or taste. Low levels can cause headaches and nausea, whilst high levels can be fatal. Carbon Monoxide detectors should be fitted in rooms which have a fixed fuel burning appliance or a flue.
If you choose to install a battery powered Carbon Monoxide alarm, ensure it complies with BS EN 50291, and that it includes a long-life battery. A mains powered detector can also be used, as long as it complies with BS EN 50291 (Type A).
Ensure your home has reliable protection from Carbon Monoxide by testing and maintaining your alarm on a regular basis.
Aico and SELECT are working in partnership to provide information on the new standards in Scotland.
This resulted in the launch of the essential guide to help inform and educate the public on the new regulations about Smoke, Fire and Carbon Monoxide alarms.
To help compliance with the new ruling, Aico and SELECT produced a comprehensive step-by-step guide detailing exactly what is required in all properties including Social Housing, Private Rented Properties and Domestic Dwellings.
Under the new regulations, by 1st February 2022 every home in Scotland must meet the ‘Tolerable Standard’ by having smoke alarms in every circulation space, smoke alarms in the rooms most frequently used, a heat alarm in the kitchen and a Carbon Monoxide alarm where there is a fuel burning appliance or flue. All fire alarms must be interlinked to form an effective warning system.
“This new support tool is designed to give an easy-to-follow overview of the changes, helping people across Scotland understand what they have to do and why.”
Dave Forrester, Head of Technical Services at SELECT
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