Interlinked fire alarm safety laws in Scotland
From February 2022, all homeowners in Scotland will be required to have interlinked alarms under legislation brought forward after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017.
Homeowners in Scotland are being prompted to install interlinked heat and smoke alarms before changes to fire safety laws come into effect. These alarms are meant to reduce casualties by alerting everybody in a property to a fire. Most homes will also require a carbon monoxide alarm.
Private rented and new-build homes must already meet these standards, but from February 2022 they will apply to every home in Scotland, regardless of its age or tenure. Once the legislation is in effect, all homes will need to have one smoke alarm in the most frequently used room, one in every circulation space on each storey and a heat alarm in each kitchen. Alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked. Where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance, such as a boiler, fire or flue, a carbon monoxide detector is also required, although this does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.
All these alarms can be either long-life sealed and battery operated, or mains-operated. However, mains-operated alarms must be installed by a qualified electrician.
The Scottish Government is providing funding to help eligible older and disabled homeowners with installation, in partnership with Care and Repair Scotland. These funds are being offered in addition to those that have already been provided to the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service for the protection of owner-occupied homes identified as being at highest risk.
Social landlords have been working to ensure that the new alarms are in place, where needed. The Scottish Government has made loan funding available for social landlords ensuring that tenants are safe in their homes.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.