Fire alarm rules Scotland: What you need to know about new law
| Published date | 06 September 2021 |
| Author | Sophie Buchan |
| Publication title | EdinburghLive (Scotland) |
The new law is a response to the devastating Grenfell Tower fire that took place in 2017, shortly after which a review into the safety of Scottish buildings was undertaken.
Many privately rented and newly built houses and flats may already meet the new standards, but every homeowner should double check to avoid falling foul of the law after next February.
Glasgow Live have since compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions surrounding the new law, from the type of alarms needed to how much it will set you back.
What alarms do I need?
According to the new law, homeowners must have:
* 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
In places where there is one or more carbon-fuelled appliances - including boilers and fres (including open fires and heaters or a flue) - a carbon monoxide detector is also required which does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.
For example:
If you live in a one bedroom flat, you will need two smoke alarms and one heat alarm.
A three bedroom, two storey house will need three smoke alarms and one heat alarm.
Whatever the size your home, if you have a carbon fuelled appliance like a boiler, you will also need a carbon monoxide detector.
What are interlinked alarms and why do you need them?
Interlinked fire and smoke alarm systems are able to communicate with each other and, as a result, if one alarm goes off they all do.
This is essential because everybody will be alerted to a fire no matter what room they are currently in.
According to the Scottish Government, following the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017, a Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety was established to review Scotland's building and fire safety regulatory frameworks.
This legislation was introduced in January 2019 to ensure that all homes in Scotland have the same level of protection whether the home is owned or rented.
How long do you have to comply with the new laws?
The regulations come into force from February 2022 - just five months away. So the sooner you are able to install them, the better.
They were due to come into force in February of this year however due to difficulties caused by...
To continue reading
Request your trial