Where do landlords need smoke alarms?

At least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation, fitted per the manufacturer's instructions.

Where are carbon monoxide alarms required?

In every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler, wood burner or gas fire. Fitting one near a gas cooker is also good practice.

Who tests the alarms?

The landlord must confirm they work at the start of each tenancy; tenants are generally responsible for regular testing during the tenancy and reporting faults.

What is the penalty for missing alarms?

Local authorities can issue a civil penalty of up to £5,000 per breach for failing to comply with the alarm regulations.

Fire & CO safetyLegal requirement

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: landlord rules

Where alarms must go, who is responsible for testing them, and how to stay on the right side of the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm regulations.

Reviewed June 2026 · 6 min read

Smoke alarms

Every storey

CO alarms

Combustion rooms

Test

Day one

Penalty

Up to £5,000

Placement requirements

At least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property used as living accommodation.
A carbon monoxide alarm in every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance (such as a boiler, wood burner or gas fire).
Position alarms according to the manufacturer's instructions — typically ceiling-mounted for smoke alarms and at the recommended height for CO alarms.

While gas cookers are excluded from the strict CO requirement in England, fitting a CO alarm near any gas appliance is sensible best practice.

Testing requirements

You must ensure all required alarms are present and in working order at the start of every new tenancy. Test them on the first day and record that they were working. During the tenancy, the day-to-day testing generally falls to the tenant, but you must repair or replace any alarm reported as faulty as soon as reasonably practicable.

Landlord responsibilities

Install the correct number and type of alarms in the right locations.
Confirm they work at the start of each tenancy and log it.
Repair or replace faulty alarms once notified.
Keep evidence of installation and testing for your audit trail.

Tenant responsibilities

Tenants should test alarms regularly during the tenancy, replace batteries in battery-powered units where they can, and report any faults to the landlord promptly. Tenants must not remove or disable alarms.