Carbon monoxide alarms: the rules
Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler, and building regulations require one when a new or replacement boiler goes in any home. Gas cookers are not counted.
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The rules differ a little for landlords and for owners. Landlords have ongoing duties on alarms. Anyone having a new or replacement boiler fitted needs an alarm as part of the job. Here is what the rules say and what to check.
Who and what the carbon monoxide alarm rules cover
- Landlord duties: homes in England let by private landlords or registered social housing providers.
- Building regulations duty: any dwelling in England where a new or replacement fixed combustion appliance is installed.
What to do
- 1Fit a CO alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance, including bathrooms with a boiler.
- 2Landlords: test alarms on the first day of each new tenancy and keep a record.
- 3Repair or replace an alarm when a tenant reports it is faulty.
Source: Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022: guidance for landlords and tenants, checked 2 November 2026
What counts as a fixed combustion appliance
Fixed combustion appliances include gas or oil boilers and log-burning stoves. A purely decorative fireplace does not count, and gas cookers are excluded from the landlord rule.
A bathroom or toilet counts as a room used as living accommodation. So if a boiler is in a bathroom, that room needs an alarm too.
Landlords also need a smoke alarm on every storey.
Checklist for landlords and owners
- Fit a CO alarm in every room with a fixed combustion appliance, bathrooms included.
- Fit a smoke alarm on every storey of a let home.
- Landlords: check each alarm works on the day a new tenancy begins.
- Repair or replace an alarm as soon as reasonably practicable after a tenant reports a fault.
- Choose an alarm that meets BS EN 50291-1:2018.
- Owners: make sure a new or replacement boiler comes with an alarm in the same room.
Where to fit the alarm and what type
The alarm should meet BS EN 50291-1:2018. It should either run on a battery that lasts the alarm’s working life, or be a hard-wired Type A alarm.
Fit it 1 to 3 m from the appliance. Place it on the ceiling at least 300 mm from walls, or high on a wall.
Where a new or replacement fixed gas appliance, other than one used only for cooking, is installed, an alarm should be fitted in the same room. See boiler installation and replacement and the building regulations certificate.
Boiler installations, for illustration
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Carbon monoxide alarm questions
Who enforces the landlord rules?
Councils enforce them. Where a landlord does not comply with a remedial notice, a council can fine up to £5,000 per breach.
Do the rules apply to every rented home?
They apply to homes let by private landlords and registered providers of social housing in England, unless excluded. Ask your council if you are unsure about a particular home.
Do I need an alarm if I own my home?
Building regulations require a CO alarm when a new or replacement boiler or other fixed combustion appliance is installed in any home. The landlord duties do not apply to owner-occupiers.
Does a gas cooker need an alarm?
Gas cookers are excluded from the landlord rule. Other fixed appliances, such as a boiler, are covered.
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