Call to delay alarm rules for a further two years

Age Scotland is calling for a two-year extension – to February 2023 – to the deadline for homeowners to install interlinked fire and smoke alarms, to give enough time for the 1.5 million homes across Scotland to comply with the Scottish Government’s rules.

The national charity for older people also believes that a significant financial support package is needed to support homeowners on low income who are unable to afford to meet the new requirements.

The requirement for interlinked fire and smoke alarms in owner-occupied homes was originally announced by the housing minister, Kevin Stewart MSP, in February 2019 with a deadline of February 1, 2021. Following the public outcry in October about a lack of public awareness, the cost implications for people on low and fixed incomes, and concerns about the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on the availability of support with installation, the Scottish Government have sought to extend the deadline by one year to February 2021.

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland’s chief executive, said: ‘There is no doubt that good home fire safety standards are vital, but it is clear from calls to our helpline and our recent survey that huge numbers of homeowners have been completely blindsided by the change in the law which requires them to install these new fire and smoke alarm systems. ‘Large numbers of homeowners still don’t think that they will have enough time to afford and undertake this work.

‘It would make sense for the housing minister to reset the clock on this legislation and delay the deadline by two years. ‘