All homes in Scotland must have interlinked smoke alarms from 1 February. As the date nears, members of the Scottish Parliament have expressed their concerns about whether all homeowners will be able to comply.
The Scottish Government gave Care and Repair Scotland £500k to help older and disabled homeowners install alarms. The daily record reported on 25 January that Care and Repair Scotland had struggled to meet demand and had closed its doors to new requests. Since September the service had fielded over 2,500 requests for information.
Scottish Government with COSLA
Improving fire safety remains an important priority for both national and local government"
In South Lanarkshire, the money has run out and the voicemail for this branch of Care and Repair Scotland advises that if people still want help, they will have to wait until 1 April when they will be open to new clients. This is two months after the new law comes into force.
To reassure the public, last week the Scottish Government published a joint statement with COSLA, who represents local authorities to reassure people that non-compliance on day one would not lead to penalties: “Improving fire safety remains an important priority for both national and local government. The legislation provides flexibility for people to fit the necessary alarms in due course if they are unable to do so by the February 2022 deadline."
Implementation date from opposition MSPs
“As a result, local authorities will be taking a proportionate and measured approach to compliance taking individual circumstances into account as well as reflecting the evolving situation with the COVID-19 pandemic. No one will be criminalised if they need more time and there are no penalties for non-compliance. However, we would encourage everyone to install these alarms, which can help save lives.”
Facing calls to delay the implementation date from opposition MSPs during the debate in Holyrood on 19 January, Ms. Robison said that on the balance of risks, it was not right to do so. She said that alarms were available and the costs remained as expected at around £200 per installation, although she acknowledged problems with the supply of component parts and suitable tradespeople to do the work.
Wrong with the installation
Willie Rennie said that cost was often far higher and that government talked a game but inability to deliver
Scottish Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie MSP said that the cost was often far higher and that often the government talked a good game but an inability to deliver. He asked: “What has the government got so badly wrong with the installation of this program?” Christine Grahame, the SNP member agreed, saying that some of her constituents were paying £500 for supply and fit for a two-up, two-down property.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP, Jeremy Balfour reacted to the issue of supply: “I don’t know where her officials shop, but I’ve checked and every B&Q in Edinburgh has no availability until after the beginning of February.”
Concerns about home insurance
Using her statement to Holyrood, Ms. Robison said she was aware of concerns about home insurance becoming invalidated where smoke alarms had not been installed. She said, she had been in discussions with the Association of British Insurers: “It has stated that, although insurers may ask questions about whether their property is fitted with working fire alarms, they are unlikely to ask questions about specific standards.”
New regulations under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 extend the definition of ‘housing meeting tolerable standard’ to include smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Compliance with the new standard will be determined when a home is sold – as part of a Home Report – on a change of lease for rented premises.
