Wales brings forward carbon monoxide alarm requirements under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016

Landlords in Wales will be required to ensure working carbon monoxide detectors are fitted in rented properties where there is any gas appliance, an oil-fired combustion appliance or a solid fuel burning combustion appliance from 1 December 2022¹. The change comes under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, through the regulations for Fitness for human habitation (FFHH), and was delayed from 15 July 2022¹. The Welsh Government announced the new date recently, according to CO-Gas Safety¹.

The requirement sits alongside separate rules elsewhere in the UK. In England, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 1 October 2022, requiring alarms in all rented accommodation and new build properties where there is a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers, and when such an appliance is first installed in any home¹. In Scotland, since 1 February 2022 all homes have been required to have an alarm in all rooms where there is a fixed combustion appliance (excluding one used solely for cooking) or a flue, with landlords responsible for supplying it in rented properties¹. In Northern Ireland, alarms have been mandatory where a new fossil fuel appliance is installed since a change to The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 came into operation on 31 October 2012, and the Private Tenancies Act received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022¹.

HETAS states that homes in Wales that need smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and do not have one are considered unfit for human habitation⁴. CO-Gas Safety states that alarms must meet the relevant British Standards (EN 50291-1) and, in Scotland, must have a sealed battery for the duration of their lifespan to prevent tampering or the need for battery changes¹. HETAS states that alarms must carry the British Kitemark EN 50291-1⁴.

Why it matters for households

The change affects tenants in rented homes in Wales where a gas, oil-fired or solid fuel appliance is present, from 1 December 2022. CO-Gas Safety states that in rented properties landlords are responsible for supplying the alarm¹, and HETAS states that it is the landlord's responsibility to provide a carbon monoxide alarm in rented accommodation⁴. The National Fire Chiefs Council advises tenants to ensure their landlord is complying, to help keep them safe⁵.

CO-Gas Safety states that carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled, making alarms vital, and that the NHS states severe carbon monoxide poisoning causes around 60 accidental deaths in England and Wales every year¹. It adds that exposure at sub-lethal levels causes common, non-specific symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness, and is therefore thought to be under-reported¹. HETAS states that poorly installed and maintained combustion appliances fired by coal, wood, oil or gas can emit dangerous and potentially fatal levels of carbon monoxide, and that an alarm does not substitute for having appliances fitted and regularly checked by a competent person, with the alarm installed and located correctly⁴. CO-Gas Safety states that alarms are no substitute for regular servicing by qualified people and chimney or flue cleaning, and that alarms even to EN 50291 are not health monitors².

The National Fire Chiefs Council advises checking alarms are working by pushing the test button at least once a month, and states that where a heating appliance does not run off electricity it recommends installing a carbon monoxide alarm, describing it as the only way to detect the gas⁵. It also advises that where people heat only one room and use it for both living and sleeping, they should be able to hear alarms clearly so they can be alerted while asleep⁵.

What happens next

The Welsh requirement takes effect on 1 December 2022¹. No further dates for Wales are given in the published material. CO-Gas Safety directs households seeking help understanding these duties and regulations, or legal advice, to Citizens Advice, which it states provides a free advice service for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland¹.

For background on alarm types and placement, see Do I Need a Carbon Monoxide Alarm?, Wales and Northern Ireland: Alarm Rules and Fire Services and Where to Put a Carbon Monoxide Alarm.