Smoke, CO & Fire Alarms: What Landlords and Homeowners Really Need

If you own or rent a home in London, Romford or the surrounding areas, you have probably heard a lot of different advice about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire alarm systems.

Some of it is legal requirement. Some is “best practice”. Some is out of date.

This guide cuts through the noise and explains:

• What alarms are legally required for landlords
• What good looks like for owner occupiers
• Where alarms should go in a typical London or Romford home
• When a basic battery alarm is not enough and a full fire alarm system makes sense

All with clear, practical guidance and local context.

Why smoke and CO alarms matter so much in London homes

UK government and fire services say the same thing in slightly different words: smoke alarms save lives.

• GOV.UK’s fire safety in the home guidance stresses that smoke alarms provide early warning so people can escape before smoke and flames spread, and recommends making testing and maintenance part of your normal routine.
• London Fire Brigade highlights that most home fires start accidentally and that a “fire detection system” of smoke and heat alarms gives the early warning that really does save lives.

In busy areas like East London, Romford, Barking and Dagenham, where homes are close together and many properties are flats or older terraces, early warning is even more critical. One flat’s smoke can become a whole block’s problem fast.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a quieter threat. You cannot see or smell it. National safety campaigns make it clear that CO poisoning can be fatal, and alarms are your only real early warning.

What alarms are landlords legally required to have?

For landlords in England, including London and Romford, the main rules come from the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015, updated in 2022.

In simple terms, from 1 October 2022:

• Smoke alarms
  • You must have at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property where there is a room used as living accommodation.
• Carbon monoxide alarms
  • You must have a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance such as a gas boiler, log burner or open fire (excluding gas cookers).
• At the start of each new tenancy
  • You must make sure all alarms are in working order at the start of each new tenancy.

If a council believes you have not complied, it can serve a remedial notice and, if you still fail to act, impose fines up to £5,000 per breach, with some local policies going higher.

London Fire Brigade, along with local councils, repeats the minimum landlord rule clearly: smoke alarm on every floor; CO alarm where there is a solid fuel or fuel burning appliance; all working at the start of each tenancy.

Best practice for homeowners (and switched-on landlords)

The legal minimum is exactly that: a minimum. Fire and rescue services often recommend going beyond it.

Recent fire safety leaflets and local guidance say you should:

• Fit at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, ideally on hallways or landings.
• Consider additional alarms in:
  • Living rooms
  • Bedrooms, especially if people smoke or use chargers there
  • Rooms where fires are more likely to start (but generally a heat alarm in kitchens, not a smoke alarm, to avoid false alarms).
• Fit carbon monoxide alarms in:
  • Any room with a gas boiler or fire
  • Rooms with log burners or other solid fuel appliances
  • Rooms with flues passing through them

In practice, a modern two storey home in Romford might aim for:

• Smoke alarm in the hallway by the front door
• Smoke alarm on the upstairs landing
• Heat alarm in the kitchen
• CO alarm in the boiler room or cupboard

Larger or more complex properties may benefit from a full interlinked fire alarm system rather than standalone battery devices, especially HMOs and blocks.

This is exactly the sort of layout Volt East can design and install via our Fire alarm installation service.

Where should alarms be installed?

Fire services across the UK give very similar practical advice on placement:

• Mount smoke alarms on the ceiling, not on walls
• Position them:
  • At least 30 cm away from walls or light fittings
  • As close to the centre of the room, hallway or landing as possible
• In a single level home, place an alarm in the hallway between the bedrooms and the front door
• Avoid putting smoke alarms directly in kitchens or bathrooms where steam and cooking fumes may trigger false alarms; use heat alarms or position smoke alarms just outside those rooms

CO alarms have slightly different rules (follow manufacturer instructions) but are usually placed at head height and near the appliance, not right up against it.

Getting locations right matters. Poorly placed alarms go off for the wrong reasons and end up disabled, which is the worst outcome.

Testing, maintenance and replacement

Putting the right alarms in the right place is only half the job. They have to work when you need them.

Current government and fire service advice is very consistent:

• Test monthly
  • Use the test button until the alarm sounds.
• Keep them clean
  • Vacuum around alarms every six months to remove dust.
• Replace batteries promptly
  • If the alarm chirps, the battery is low and should be changed immediately (unless it is a sealed unit).
• Replace the entire alarm every 10 years
  • Many newer alarms are 10 year sealed units; after that, they must be replaced.

Recent consumer research also warns that some home insurance claims have been rejected where smoke alarms were missing or not working, so maintenance is not just a safety issue but a financial one.

If your alarms are older than 10 years, yellowed, or you cannot remember when they were last tested, that is your cue to act.

When a full fire alarm system is worth considering

Standalone battery alarms are fine for many small homes, but some properties in London and Romford really benefit from a more robust, professionally installed fire alarm system:

• HMOs and multi-let properties
  • These often need hard wired, interlinked alarms and sometimes panel based systems that meet specific British Standards, depending on layout and risk.
• Larger houses and townhouses
  • Particularly those with loft conversions, basements or multiple staircases.
• Mixed use buildings
  • For example, a shop on the ground floor with flats above.

In these situations, a professionally designed fire alarm system can provide:

• Better audibility throughout the building
• Clearer zoning and fault monitoring
• Compliance with licensing or building control requirements

Volt East designs and installs systems for both homes and businesses across Havering, East London and wider London, with more detail on our Fire alarm installation page.

We can also combine this with other services such as:

• Lighting and electrical installation for emergency lighting or rewiring
• EICR testing to check the wider electrical installation at the same time

How Volt East supports landlords and homeowners

For London and Romford landlords, the biggest risk is usually not malicious non-compliance, it is simply losing track of what is required, which alarms are fitted where, and how old they are.

Volt East can help by:

• Surveying your property or portfolio to map existing alarms
• Checking compliance against the current Smoke and CO Alarm Regulations and local fire service advice
• Recommending upgrades where needed, from simple sealed-battery replacements to full interlinked systems
• Installing, testing and certifying fire alarms and CO detectors
• Aligning alarm upgrades with EICR testing or other electrical works so you have a joined up safety plan

For owner occupiers, the same service gives you peace of mind that your home is covered to modern standards rather than “whatever was there when you moved in”.

You can use the contact page here to discuss your property.

FAQs: Smoke, CO and fire alarms in London & Romford

Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm if I only have a gas boiler?

Yes, if the boiler is a fixed combustion appliance, a CO alarm is required in that room for rented properties under the updated regulations, and strongly recommended for owner occupiers too.

I have battery alarms from years ago. Are they still OK?

If they are older than 10 years, they should be replaced even if they still beep when tested. Modern guidance says smoke alarms are not lifelong devices and should be renewed at least every decade.

How often should I test alarms in a rental property?

Most fire services recommend tenants test alarms monthly. Landlords must ensure alarms are working at the start of each new tenancy and should encourage tenants to keep testing and report any issues immediately.

Is one smoke alarm per floor really enough?

It is the legal minimum for landlords, but fire services often recommend additional alarms in living rooms and bedrooms for better coverage, especially in larger homes or where people smoke or charge devices.

Who should install a full fire alarm system?

For anything beyond simple plug in or screw on domestic alarms, you should use a competent installer who understands British Standards and local fire safety expectations. This is especially important for HMOs, flats and mixed use buildings. London Fire Brigade encourages landlords to work with competent fire alarm installers for more complex systems.

Ready to upgrade your smoke and fire protection?

If you are not completely sure your smoke, CO and fire alarms are up to scratch, that uncertainty is your cue to review them.

Volt East can survey, design and install fire alarm setups for homes and rentals across London, Romford and the surrounding areas.

From simply replacing old stand alone detectors to fitting interlinked systems with heat alarms in key rooms, we help you:

• Meet legal obligations as a landlord
• Protect your family and property as a homeowner
• Sleep easier knowing your alarms are modern, tested and correctly installed

If you would like to talk through options for your property, get in touch with Volt East and we will help you put the right alarms in the right places.