Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England must install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm in every room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance. Gas cookers are excluded. The duty is imposed by the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (SI 2022/863) and is enforced by local housing authorities with fines of up to �5,000.
Any room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, gas fire, oil boiler, wood burner, open fire) and used as living accommodation must have a CO alarm conforming to BS EN 50291. Test it on the first day of every tenancy.
Which rooms require a CO alarm?
- Any room with a gas boiler (including combi and system boilers) where the room is used as living accommodation
- Any room with a gas fire or decorative gas appliance
- Any room with an oil-fired boiler or oil-fired heater
- Any room with a solid-fuel appliance: wood burner, log burner, multi-fuel stove, open coal or wood fire
- Gas cookers are explicitly excluded from the duty
Alarm standard and specification
- Must conform to BS EN 50291-1 (standard domestic electrochemical cell type) or BS EN 50291-2 (with display)
- Must be audible throughout the property and have battery backup
- Must not be past its sensor expiry date (typically 7-10 years, printed on the unit)
- Position at approximately head height, following manufacturer instructions
Landlord duties at tenancy start
- Confirm all CO alarms are in working order and within their sensor lifespan before the tenant moves in
- Test the alarm on the first day of the tenancy (press and hold the test button until the alarm sounds)
- Record the test in the check-in inventory or tenancy agreement and obtain the tenant's signature
- Repair or replace any alarm reported faulty during the tenancy as soon as reasonably practicable
Enforcement
Local housing authorities may issue a remedial notice requiring compliance within 28 days. Failure to comply results in a civil penalty of up to �5,000. Tenant complaints about missing or non-functional alarms may also trigger a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) inspection.
Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
The 2022 Regulations apply to England only. Wales has separate requirements under the Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) (Wales) Regulations 2022. Scotland requires CO alarms under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 provisions as amended. Northern Ireland has different rules. Always check jurisdiction-specific requirements for properties outside England.