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Scots could invalidate their home insurance if they fail to install new smoke alarms

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
AuthorSophie Buchan
Published date20 January 2022
Publication titleGlasgowLive (Scotland)
As of February 1, the rules, which comes under the new Fire Safety and Smoke Alarm Regulations, will come into force meaning that every property must have an interlinked alarm system which controversially could cost each home up to £400

This interlinked system means that if one alarm goes off, every alarm will meaning that no matter which room you are in, you'll be able to hear it.

In addition to this, all smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling and be interlinked and if you have a carbon-fuelled appliance, like a boiler, fire, heater or flue you must also have a carbon monoxide detector.

This does not need to be linked to the fire alarms and gas cookers and hobs do not need a carbon monoxide detector.

However failure to comply with these laws, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) means that the legal safety standard could affect existing insurance policies, reports the Daily Record.

This means that every home and flat will need the following:

* One smoke alarm in the room you spend most of the day - usually your living room

* One smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey - such as hallways and landings

* One heat alarm in the kitchen

Despite many wanting to delay the change due to lack of access to alarms and awareness, the Scottish Government have recently rejected these calls after it had already been delayed due to the covid pandemic.

Speaking to the Sunday Mail, owner of ABC Electrical in Kilmarnock Stuart McLintock said: "There is definitely a big issue with the fact that the majority of homes still do not have them – and that could obviously have a knock-on effect for insurance policies.

"The...

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