Smoke & CO Alarms in Mid and East Antrim

At least one smoke alarm on every storey of the property that contains a room used as living accommodation. 'Living accommodation' includes bedrooms, living rooms, studies, and kitchens — so a three-storey house needs at minimum three smoke alarms. Alarms should be ceiling-mounted in hallways or landings, at least 300mm from any wall or light fitting. Avoid placing smoke alarms in kitchens (use a heat alarm instead) or bathrooms.

Yes. Since the October 2022 amendment, CO alarms are required in any room containing a fixed combustion appliance, including gas boilers, gas fires, and oil boilers — not just solid fuel appliances as was previously the case. If the boiler is in a kitchen cupboard, the CO alarm should be in the same room, mounted at head height on the wall (not on the ceiling like smoke alarms).

Yes. Since the 2022 amendment, landlords must repair or replace alarms reported as faulty during a tenancy. This includes replacing batteries. To avoid ongoing maintenance, install sealed 10-year lithium battery alarms or mains-wired alarms with battery backup. If a tenant reports a beeping alarm (low battery warning), you must address it — you cannot simply tell the tenant to replace the battery.

Optical (photoelectric) alarms are recommended for rental properties. They are better at detecting slow, smouldering fires (the most common type in homes) and are less prone to false alarms from cooking. Ionisation alarms are better for fast-flaming fires but trigger false alarms frequently near kitchens, leading tenants to remove batteries. Multi-sensor alarms combining both technologies offer the best coverage.

In Mid and East Antrim, a Smoke & CO Alarms typically costs between £15 and £150. Sealed 10-year lithium battery smoke alarms cost £15–£25 each. CO alarms cost £18–£30 each. A typical 2-storey property needs 2 smoke alarms and 1 CO alarm (£50–£80 total). Mains-wired interlinked systems cost £100–£150 per property installed by an electrician. Equipping a rental property in Mid and East Antrim with compliant smoke and CO alarms costs £50–£150 depending on the number of storeys and combustion appliances. Electricians in Northern Ireland charge £80–£150 to install a mains-wired interlinked system, which eliminates battery replacement hassles.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is responsible for enforcing Smoke & CO Alarms compliance in Mid and East Antrim. You can contact the council's housing team via their website at https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/housing.