Fire and smoke alarms
All Scottish homes must have an interlinked fire and smoke alarm system.
This is a Scottish Government initiative. It is aimed at improving fire safety after the Grenfell disaster in 2017.
They are making this change to improve safety for every Scottish citizen. It is required by law, but that does not mean you will commit a criminal offence by not complying.
Read the Scottish Government's guidance requirements
What you need to do
Every Scottish home must have:
- one smoke alarm in the living room or the room you use most
- one smoke alarm in every hallway or landing
- one heat alarm in the kitchen
All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling and be interlinked.
Interlinked means if one alarm goes off, they all go off, so you will always hear an alarm wherever you are in your home.
There are two ways they can be connected to each other:
- Wired (Mains): The alarms are joined together by electrical wire
- Wireless (Battery): The alarms are connected by radio frequency
You do not need any form of internet access for this. The radio frequency connection is built into the alarms.
If you have a boiler, fire, heater or flue in any room, you must also have a tamper-proof carbon monoxide detector in that room. The detector alarm does not need to be linked to the fire alarm system.
Tamper-proof means that you should not be able to remove the battery from the unit itself, as this can lead to failure. Tamper-proof units come with a battery sealed inside which will last for 10 years.
What happens if you do not comply
This could affect the sale of your home in future. It's likely you would have to have the installation carried out before any marketing takes place.
As this is a change in law, it's likely that non-compliance could affect your home insurance. While your home insurance may not currently specify the smoke alarm standard, there is likely to be a general term that state that your home must meet all legal standards.
If you make a claim and you do not have the correct system installed, your claim may fail. Contact your insurance provider directly if you are concerned.
The Council has enforcement powers in relation to the standard of homes, but they would not be used as a matter of course for this requirement.
They could be used where a landlord refuses to install the correct systems in their rented properties, because that poses a safety risk to their tenants.
Your responsibilities
Home-owners are responsible and must pay for any work needed on their own property.
As with other housing standards, the home-owner must meet this new safety standard.
If you are a private tenant, your landlord is responsible and your property should already be compliant. Contact your landlord to check this with them.
If you are a council or housing association tenant, we are working to make sure your home meets the new standards.
Where you can get an alarm system
There is no list of approved suppliers or fitters. You can buy both types of alarms online, or in-store from a number of retailers, and any qualified electrician can fit the mains-wired type.
You need to check that each alarm complies with the following standards:
smoke alarms | BS EN14604:2005 |
heat alarms | BS 5446-2:2003 |
carbon monoxide detector | British Kitemark EN 50291-1 |
If you already have already have a system installed
Unless you've installed a new system since 2022, or purchased a new build property, it's very unlikely that your current system complies.
If you've had alarms installed by Scottish Fire & Rescue services in the last year, you should still check that they are the new type. Do not assume they are correct.
How to check if your alarms are interlinked
Most alarms have a test push button as standard. Press this test button for approximately five seconds and the alarm should sound.
If other detectors at the property are interlinked, they will all sound.
How much it could cost
Costs are difficult to estimate as they depend on stock available.
The Scottish Government estimate that the cost for an average three bedroom house that needs three smoke alarms, one heat alarm and one carbon monoxide detector, will be between £200 and £300.
This estimation is based on using the type of alarms that you can install by yourself without the need for an electrician.
It's up to you to choose one which meets the requirements, and your own home and budget. Any system you install must meet the British Standards as stated above, and in the guidance.
If any trader says that their system or services are endorsed or recommended by any of our organisations, please be aware that this is not correct.
Any misleading statements like this can be reported to our partners in Advice Direct Scotland at consumeradvice.scot or 0808 164 6000.
If you are cold called by a company saying they can install my alarms
Cold calling is a legal method of trade, but it's a problem because it adds pressure to give your details or accept a product you might not usually accept.
These callers may suggest that you are eligible for a grant, or that they are offering a special deal that day.
We would not recommend giving any details to a company either telephoning or calling at your door. Take your time to make your own enquiries.
Where to look for a reputable trader
Renfrewshire Council support a Trusted Trader scheme which has local, vetted traders who may be able to carry out this work on your home. You can find out more at the Trust a Trader Scotland website
If your home is in a block of flats
Different homes in a shared building like a block of flats do not need to be linked to each other.
There is also no need for alarms to be fitted in communal areas such as entry halls and stairways.
Where you can dispose of old alarms
Some, but not all, types of alarms can be recycled at household waste recycling centres. Look on the alarm for information or check with the manufacturer.
See what you can dispose of at our household waste recycling centres.