The Gas Industry Safety Group (GISG) today (11 March 2015) welcomes the announcement by Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt at the LGA annual fire conference that the government has made it mandatory for private landlords to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in rented properties.
This represents the culmination of five years campaigning by GISG, the National Landlords Association, All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG), the Gas Safety Trust and others.
The change came about via an Amendment to the Energy Act 2014 introduced by Baroness Finlay, Chair of the APPCOG and thanks to a wide range of organisations responding to a recent Government consultation.
This requirement for private landlords in England came into effect today.
GISG Chairman, Chris Bielby said:
“We are delighted that the Government has announced that it has made smoke and CO alarms mandatory in private rented properties.
GISG has pushed for this for a number of years and it is fantastic that the Government has listened to industry and campaigners to introduce this change.
We know that there has never been a fatality related to CO, where there has been a correctly installed active audible alarm, and we are convinced that this initiative will save lives.
GISG would now like to see the Government go further and extend this requirement to all residential properties in the UK”.