New Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors

**JonFlower** · 01-12-2012 15:45 PM

Hi all,

A first time poster here - but a regular reader!

I let two houses through an agency on a fully managed basis. I haven't set foot in one of them in six years as I have been living at the other end of the country until recently. I thought that it would be a good idea to fit some new smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide detector (the house uses warm air heating in addition to a gas cooker)

After some research I went for these. Two smoke and one CO. Total cost £54 at the time.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7003512.htm
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7001590.htm

I went over and installed them today. A big advantage of these smoke detectors is that they have a sealed battery which will last a long time (until 2019 I believe). I think I'll go for wired ones once these expire.

Best not ever take a risk with fire or carbon monoxide.

Cheers for now.

**hech123** · 02-12-2012 13:49 PM

Mains wired interlinked smoke alarms are what you need. As for carbon monoxide detectors I was told of the local environmental health that as long as gas safety certs were kept up to date then they were not needed, which kind of makes sense.

It all depends what risk you are happy with but with fire best not take the risk! With battery you could still be held liable but a lot better than not having anything.

**Bel** · 02-12-2012 18:36 PM

Battery detectors would be acceptable in a low risk family home.

**theartfullodger** · 02-12-2012 18:50 PM

Originally Posted by hech123

........... As for carbon monoxide detectors I was told of the local environmental health that as long as gas safety certs were kept up to date then they were not needed, which kind of makes sense.
....

Think the question is, if you end up after the deaths of tenants & their 2 lovely little grandchildren at some court hearing, would you prefer to be able to show you'd installed CO detector: I know I would....

**midlandslandlord** · 03-12-2012 00:05 AM

Originally Posted by JonFlower

Hi all,

A first time poster here - but a regular reader!

I let two houses through an agency on a fully managed basis. I haven't set foot in one of them in six years as I have been living at the other end of the country until recently. I thought that it would be a good idea to fit some new smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide detector (the house uses warm air heating in addition to a gas cooker)

After some research I went for these. Two smoke and one CO. Total cost £54 at the time.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7003512.htm
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/7001590.htm

I went over and installed them today. A big advantage of these smoke detectors is that they have a sealed battery which will last a long time (until 2019 I believe). I think I'll go for wired ones once these expire.

Best not ever take a risk with fire or carbon monoxide.

Cheers for now.

What about a heat detector one for the kitchen?

ML

**hech123** · 03-12-2012 18:14 PM

Yes deffiantely but if you have a current gas certificate then you are covered and it is the plumber who is in court. I was told that if you have a boiler in a bedroom then they may be law but this was not confirmed, I think there is no current law for them but I may be wrong, I am looking at putting them in and have them already in a lot of properties but it is difficult when you manage a lot of units but you have to still try and be more responsible.

**grouse** · 03-12-2012 22:48 PM

Originally Posted by midlandslandlord

What about a heat detector one for the kitchen?

ML

Agreed, a requirement under LACORS. I tried to post the link and discovered that it has been withdrawn and is being updated.

Link to original guidance
http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/upload/19175.pdf

Link to last update
http://www.landlords.org.uk/sites/de...March_2009.pdf

**JonFlower** · 05-12-2012 19:47 PM

Thank you for the replies.

I don't have a heat detector in the kitchen or lounge. So, do you think I ought to install battery powered heat detectors for the short term? The consumer unit in the property is quite old, so I was planning to have a brand new one installed at some point after April 2013. Once this is in place I could then have interlinked alarms installed and wired onto their own trip etc.

Let me know your thoughts.
Jon

**Darren Baird** · 05-12-2012 19:54 PM

Originally Posted by grouse

Agreed, a requirement under LACORS. I tried to post the link and discovered that it has been withdrawn and is being updated.

Link to original guidance
http://www.lacors.gov.uk/lacors/upload/19175.pdf

Link to last update
http://www.landlords.org.uk/sites/de...March_2009.pdf

It wouldn't be a requirement as LACoRS is not the Law. Also as I understand the body LACoRS no longer exist? So I'm not sure now the value of the guidance within LACoRS?