February 2022 – New Scottish legislation for Fire and Smoke alarms

Are you compliant?

As of February 2022, all homes in Scotland must meet new legislation for Fire and Smoke Alarms in their homes.This change in legislation applies to all households in Scotland and must be met by February 2022.

All homes must now have an interlinked Fire & Smoke Alarm System and there must be an adequate Carbon Monoxide Detection System in place.

Due to recent fires and loss of life, specifically the tragic fire that took place at Grenfell Tower in London, a Ministerial Working Group put forward legislation that was then passed in February 2019 (and originally due to be met by February 2021 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic) to cover all homes in the private and social housing sectors.
You can read about the legislations in more detail on the Scottish Government website.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/fire-and-smoke-alarms-in-scottish-homes/

What is an interlinked Fire and Smoke alarm system?

Fire and Smoke alarms can be interlinked via either traditional cabling methods or wireless RF (radio frequency) technology. The new legislation also states that a Carbon Monoxide detector has to be installed where there is a fuel-burning appliance (ie. gas boilers, fires, heaters and heating stoves).
Based on the Governments advise, there are two types of alarms that will comply with the new standards:

Tamper proof long-life lithium battery alarms and Mains-wired alarms. Mains-wired devices should be installed by a qualified electrician in accordance with BS7671.

How many fire and smoke alarms do I need fitted?

The new legislation requires one smoke alarm to be installed in the most frequently used room of the house (generally the living room). Another smoke alarm has to be fitted in every circulation space on each floor of the home. So a hallway and upper landing space. There must also be one heat alarm installed in the kitchen. All alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked.

I already have smoke and fire alarms installed but they are not interlinked. Do I need to change these?

Yes you do. All the new alarms have to be interlinked to ensure that in the event of a fire, all the alarm systems will be activated and you will be alerted immediately.

Who has to pay for these new alarms?

The responsibility for installing these new smoke and fire alarms is that of the home owners and landlords.

How will this new legislation be enforced?

While it is an obvious safety benefit to your home, it will become a highlighted part of any Home Report for selling a home. Local authorities can use their statutory power to require owners of a property to carry out the work.

Will this affect my home insurance?

While individual home insurance providers will have different terms & conditions on the matter, as it will be legislation in Scottish Law, you may be at risk of voiding your home insurance policy should you suffer from a fire and not have interconnected fire and smoke alarms fitted.

To find out more about the new legislation and how HF Fire & Security can fit your new interconnected devices, please call us today on 0800 783 9480.

How HF Group can help?

At HF Group, our group of world-class companies are leading the way in next-generation technologies including the fitting of the latest generation of interlinked fire and smoke detectors.

From electrical wiring to the fitting and annual servicing of devices for residential and commercial properties.  If you would like to know more about the new laws and how we can help protect your properties, please contact us today.