Fire alarm installation in London is a must for any property owner so that the safety of the tenants is always a top priority, whether it is residential, commercial or industrial, all buildings need to have some sort of detection and warning system installed in order to be in compliance with UK law so that the lives of those living and working in the buildings are protected, because to be forewarned is to be forearmed. The installation of these systems can also protect private property owners in the event of a tragedy because those who are in line with the law do not stand the risk of being punished with regards to the loss of life.
UK laws
The law for private property owners states that; “Private sector landlords are required from 1 October 2015 to have at least one smoke alarm installed on every storey of their properties.” This is not open to loose interpretation and it further insists that alarms are checked and maintained each time a new tenant arrives in the building, this maintenance can be carried out by a third party or by the company that provided the alarm in the first place, many such companies run a maintenance program with their clients in order to keep them within compliance.
After the initial inspection upon arrival – and once the property owner has provided proof that the alarms are working – it is the duty of the tenants to maintain the detection system for the duration of their rental period, however, if the company which provided the system to the property owner has an agreement to maintain the system then they are the ones responsible in upholding its functionality.
Punishment for failure to meet requirements
Failure to meet the above requirements for private property owners could result in a £5000 fine and in the case of a death that was caused by a lack of warning on the part of the system or the lack thereof could fall on the property owner and go as far as a case of manslaughter after investigations are completed.
How to correctly meet requirements
Meeting requirements and responsibilities for fire alarms and early warning systems can be a complicated task which can be given to a company that specialises in these types of security measures; if a building is being constructed this company may be brought in during the design process for fire assessment as well as the installation process, in the case of a property that is already constructed and perhaps newly purchased, such a company will be able to carry out a risk assessment and install detection and warning systems in order for the property owners to be within compliance before tenants move in.
Types of alarms
There are various types of detection systems and alarms while some only detect smoke, other can also detect heat, the alarms themselves can be auditory as well as visual and it is in the interest of the property owner to have at minimum auditory alarms and in the case of tenants indicating being hard of hearing, a visual alarm may be required.