Staying Safe

Your landlord is legally responsible for supplying smoke alarms on all floors of the property. Failure to comply can lead to a civil penalty being imposed on your landlord of up to £5,000.

The landlord must also provide fire alarms and extinguishers if the property is a large house in multiple occupation (HMO).

Do not remove batteries or cover up the alarms and replace the batteries when needed. If you think your house is not compliant with the law, request that the local fire service inspect the property or report it to Charnwood Borough Council environmental health online.

Think ahead and plan an escape route in case the alarm goes off.

Gas fires and boilers may produce CO if they are not properly installed and maintained. CO has no colour, taste or smell and is extremely poisonous. It can kill quickly without warning. Look out for signs of poisoning:

• drowsiness
• lethargy
• headaches/migraines
• sickness
• chest pains/cough

If anyone in your house has any of these symptoms when using a gas appliance, stop using the appliance until an engineer has checked it. Consult a doctor urgently and mention the possibility of CO poisoning.

Your landlord is legally obliged to ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers). Failure to comply can lead to a civil penalty being imposed on your landlord of up to £5,000.

Your landlord is legally obliged to have gas appliances serviced at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe Register registered engineer, who will then issue a Gas Safety Certificate. Your landlord must provide you with a copy of the most recent gas safety certificate before you move in, and within 28 days of each new certificate being issued.

This certificate is ESSENTIAL and you should not move into a house that does not have one. For further information please visit: www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

Your landlord must ensure that the electrical installations in their properties, such as wiring, plug sockets, fuse boxes and light fittings are inspected and tested by a registered electrician at least every 5 years. Landlords must provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants and prospective tenants, if requested.

Landlords must also make sure that the installations and all electrical appliances such as cookers, fridges, kettles etc. are safe and pose no risk to you as a tenant.

Signs to watch out for include:

• Frayed, cut or damaged leads
• Cracked or damaged cases on plugs or appliances
• Burn marks on plugs, leads or appliances
• Blown fuses
• Loose cord grips in plugs or appliances

If you are unsure about the safety of any electrical appliance, contact your landlord/agent and ask for them to arrange a PAT test on the item. PAT tests are not a legal requirement but are a recommended way of ensuring that electrical items are safe.

All furniture supplied by your landlord must comply with the Fire Safety Regulations: all furniture coverings and fillings should be made from fire-resistant materials.

These requirements cover:

• sofas and armchairs
• beds, headboards and mattresses, futons
• loose and stretch covers for furniture
• cushions and seat pads

Normally, furniture that complies with the regulations will carry a label. If the furniture in your accommodation does not carry a label, it may not comply with the regulations. You should ask your landlord to replace it, unless they can prove otherwise.

Last updated: 29th November 2023