Fire & Smoke Alarms

Fire prevention Scotland > FIRE & SMOKE ALARMS

Fire and Smoke Alarms: changes to the law

The law on fire alarms is changing from February 2022 which means all Scottish homes will need to have interlinked alarms. 

Guidance for homeowners

What you need to know 

Every home in Scotland must have interlinked fire alarms by February 2022.

Interlinked means if one goes off, they all go off, so you will always hear an alarm wherever you are in your home.


The new law has come about because of the Grenfell fire in London in 2017, and it applies to all Scottish homes.


It is the property owner’s responsibility for meeting the new standard.

What each home will require 

By February 2022 every 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.


If you have a carbon-fuelled appliance – like a boiler, fire, heater or flue – in any room, you must also have a carbon monoxide detector in that room, but this does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.

What you need to do

If you are a homeowner, it's your responsibility to make sure your home meets the new fire alarms standard.


By February 2022 every home will need to have:


  • 1 smoke alarm in the room you spend most of the day, usually your living room
  • 1 smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings
  • 1 heat alarm in the kitchen


All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling and be

interlinked. Check the manufacturers guidance on each alarm for instructions on where the alarm should be placed.

Examples

If you live in a 3 bedroom, 2 storey house will need 3 smoke alarms and one heat alarm. You may also need carbon monoxide alarms. You need:


  • 3 linked smoke alarms:
  • on the upstairs landing
  • in the downstairs hall
  • in the living room
  • 1 linked heat alarm in the kitchen
  • 1 carbon monoxide alarm in any room where you have a carbon-fuelled appliance like a boiler or wood-burning fire place. 

If you live in a 1 bedroom flat, you will need 2 smoke alarms and 1 heat

alarm. You may also need carbon monoxide alarms. You need:



  • 2 linked smoke alarms:
  • in the hall
  • in the living room
  • 1 linked heat alarm in the kitchen
  • 1 carbon monoxide alarm in any room where you have a carbon-fuelled
  • appliance like a boiler or wood-burning fire place


If you have an open plan living room and kitchen you only need to have 1 alarm in this space and it should be a heat alarm.

The types of alarm you'll need 

There are 2 types of interlinked fire alarms that meet the new rules:


  • sealed battery alarms – which should be tamper-proof long-life (which can be up to 10 years) batteries. You can fit these alarms yourself.
  • mains-wired alarms - these are cheaper than tamper proof long-life battery alarms, but should be installed by a qualified electrician. These should be replaced every 10 years.


Both types of alarm are interlinked by radio frequency without the need for WiFi. If the carbon monoxide alarm is battery operated, it must have a sealed battery for the duration of its lifespan, which may be up to 10 years

Private landlords 

Should already have interlinked fire alarms in their homes. If your rented property does not have interlinked fire alarms, speak to your landlord. If your landlord fails to comply, you have the right to apply to a tribunal.

Share by: