What the law requires
The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 apply to private and social landlords in England. You must:
- Fit at least one smoke alarm on each storey of the home where there's a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
- Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers.
- Check the alarms are working on the first day of each new tenancy.
- Repair or replace any alarm once you're told it's faulty.
Councils can fine landlords who don't comply.
Battery or mains-wired?
The regulations don't say which type of alarm to fit, but mains-wired alarms with battery backup don't rely on a tenant changing batteries, and interlinked alarms all sound together, so a fire in the kitchen wakes people upstairs.
HMOs and larger properties
Houses in multiple occupation and some larger properties usually need more than the minimum, often a mains-wired, interlinked fire detection system. Check your licence conditions and your council's guidance.
Smoke, heat or CO: which goes where?
- Smoke alarms: hallways and landings on every floor.
- Heat alarms: kitchens, where cooking would set off a smoke alarm.
- Carbon monoxide alarms: rooms with a boiler, gas fire, wood burner or other fixed fuel-burning appliance.
Need a hand?
E.A Electrician Ltd is a North London electrical company based in Wood Green, N22, rated 5.0 from 32 Google reviews. See our smoke alarm installation service, or call 07871 056970 for a free estimate.
Quick answers
Do landlords have to fit carbon monoxide alarms?
Yes, in England, in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance, such as a gas boiler or wood burner. Gas cookers are excluded.
Do smoke alarms in rented homes have to be mains-wired?
Not under the general rules for single-household lets, but mains-wired, interlinked alarms are more reliable. HMOs often need them.
Who tests the alarms during a tenancy?
The landlord must check they work on the first day of each new tenancy. After that, tenants are usually advised to test them monthly and report faults.
Published by E.A Electrician Ltd. Last updated 1 November 2026.