New guidelines effective from February 2022. These are the new regulations which have been released by the Scottish government that require all homeowners and landlords to have interlinked smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors fitted throughout the homes of Scotland.
These regulations come into force in February 2022. You can see the guidance document from Scot gov here.
What detectors you need and where you need them.
The new regulations state that you must have detectors that are interlinked with each other. This means that when one goes off, they all go off. This is to ensure that there is that everyone hears the alarms. The alarms must be hard wired or have a tamper proof 10-year lithium ion battery. The interlink can be wireless or hard wired. The alarms must be fitted throughout the home and this includes:
A smoke detector in every circulation space and on every level (this means hallways lower and upper).
A smoke detector in the most frequently used rooms (this means lounges etc).
A heat detector in every kitchen.
A carbon monoxide detector in every home with a heating appliance using gas, LPG, heating oil or a wood burning stove.
Why have these regulations been brought in?
A review of the existing guidelines was carried out after the heart-breaking events that occurred at Grenfell Towers. Events like this should never happen and Scot gov have taken measures to minimise the risks of this happening in Scotland.
What happens if you ignore the changes?
Choose to ignore the regulations at your own peril. The repercussions of this can include the voiding of your home’s insurance, the inability to have a home report or EPC carried out and your local authority area can place a mandatory order on the works.
How much do smoke detectors cost to install?
Generally, homes will require 4 detectors. A heat detector for the kitchen, a smoke alarm for the lounge and hallway and finally a carbon monoxide detector.
The unit cost for these smoke alarms is around £60 for hard wired and £90 for battery operated. Bear in mind that although the mains detectors are less expensive that they will require more time from a qualified electrician to carry out the job and may involve some unsightly trunking. We recommend having the battery-operated detectors installed. This bring the cost of the parts for your whole home to around £360.
If you require fitting this may be another £80.
Additional Info.
Its worth adding to this article that you can have a virtual assessment carried out by the fire brigade here.
