The basic rule is straightforward. The detail is where branches get tripped up. A short summary of the current expectations.
Smoke alarms
A smoke alarm on every storey used as living accommodation. Tested on the first day of every new tenancy. Replaced when the batteries or the unit itself reach the end of life.
Carbon monoxide alarms
Required in every room with a fixed fuel-burning appliance — not just solid fuel, but gas appliances too, under the updated rules. Boilers in cupboards count.
Evidence of testing
Confirming that detection devices work on day one of the tenancy is a regulatory requirement. A signed note in the check-in inventory closes that loop neatly and produces evidence in a single place.
A two-minute walk-through with a tester on move-in day is one of the cheapest forms of compliance available. Skip it and the gaps fill in slowly over the months that follow.
