Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms — landlord obligations in England
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations require landlords to install a smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance that burns solid fuel or gas (gas cookers are excluded). You must test the alarms on the first day of each new tenancy, and repair or replace them within a reasonable time if the tenant reports a fault.
The law that creates this obligation
Your obligations as a landlord
- Who this applies to: All relevant landlords under specified tenancies, excluding registered providers of social housing.
- When it applies: At the start of each new tenancy (test alarms), and whenever a tenant reports a fault (repair within a reasonable time). Continuous obligation to maintain alarms.
- What you must do: Install smoke and CO alarms as required, test them on the first day of each new tenancy, and promptly repair any reported faults.
What good evidence looks like
Your compliance file should contain
- Written record or document confirming this obligation has been met
- Date of compliance — email timestamp, signed receipt, or platform log
- The trigger is the start of a new tenancy. Set a reminder for the day before the tenancy start date.
- FastPass available: Self-attestation is sufficient because the law does not require documentary evidence of installation and testing.
Record that the smoke and CO alarms were installed and tested on the first day of the tenancy.
Record this obligation in your LettingsLedger workspace
Upload evidence, set reminders, and build a timestamped compliance record — all in one place.
Consequences of non-compliance
The LHA can serve a remedial notice and impose a financial penalty of up to £5,000.
Further reading for landlords
LettingsLedger is a compliance evidence governance platform. It is not a legal services provider and does not provide legal advice. Content is derived from UK primary legislation at legislation.gov.uk and official GOV.UK sources. Reflects the position as at June 2026. A GovProtocol product by Pertheo Limited.