Guide · Alarms
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: the rules for landlords
Private landlords in England must fit smoke alarms and, in many homes, carbon monoxide alarms, and check they work at the start of every tenancy. The rules are short, and the checks take minutes.
Updated 21 September 2026
Smoke alarms
At least one smoke alarm must be fitted on every storey of the home that is used wholly or partly as living accommodation. A bathroom or toilet counts as living accommodation for this purpose.
Carbon monoxide alarms
A carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, such as a boiler, a gas fire or a wood burner. Gas cookers are the exception and do not require one.
Checking them
You must make sure every required alarm is in working order on the day each new tenancy starts. Testing them in front of the tenant, and noting it in the check-in paperwork, gives you a record that it was done.
When one is faulty
If a tenant tells you an alarm is not working, you must repair or replace it as soon as reasonably practicable. Keep a record of when you were told and when it was fixed.
Penalties
Councils can impose a penalty of up to £5,000 on a landlord who fails to meet the requirements.
Where this applies
This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so check the requirements for where your property is.
Common questions
- Does a gas cooker need a carbon monoxide alarm?
- No. Gas cookers are excluded. Other fixed combustion appliances, such as boilers and fires, do need one in the same room.
- Who tests the alarms during the tenancy?
- Tenants are generally expected to test them regularly and report faults. You are responsible for checking them at the start of each tenancy and fixing faults you are told about.