By February 2022, every home in Scotland is required by law to have interlinked fire alarms. The alarms connect to each other so that when one goes off, they all go off – helping everyone to react quickly and save lives.
You might not hear the alarm closest to the fire if you are somewhere else in the house. An interlinked system alerts you to danger wherever you are in the home.
There are two different types of interlinked alarms:
- Sealed long-life battery alarms, which you can fit yourself.
- Mains wired alarms, which should be installed by a qualified electrician.
Both meet the new fire safety standard. And both are linked by radiofrequency without the need for WiFi.
Every home needs:
- 1 smoke alarm in the room where you spend most of the day (usually the livening room)
- 1 smoke alarm on every floor, either in the hallway or on the landing
- 1 heat detector in the kitchen
If your home has a carbon fuelled appliance like a boiler, heater, or flue, you will also need a separate carbon monoxide detector. These do not have to be linked to the other alarms.
For more detailed information about the new regulations, visit: www.mygov.scot/firealarms
For advice on fire safety, or to request a Home Fire Safety Visit, contact The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 0731 999
If you are concerned about cold callers or about the information given by a tradesperson, contact Trading Standards Scotland on 0808 164 6000
If you are older or disabled you may qualify for assistance from your local Care and Repair service. Details of the local offices are available here:
www.careandrepairscotland.co.uk/office-locations.html
To be eligible for support from Care & Repair, you must live and own your home with a Council Tax banding of A-C. You must also either be of state pension age and in receipt of guaranteed Pension Credit or have a disability and be in a support group for Employment and Support Allowance.
