Fire regulations

Your article" Charity warns Scots will be hit by the cost of the new fire alarm rules" (17 October) hugely understates the effect of the measure. At this time of Covid, oncoming poverty and unemployment nothing could be more ill-considered or inappropriate than visiting these costs on us.

Worse, the online government guidance is alarming in its vagueness. The links it provides are often contradictory in their advice.it makes reference to the Building Standards [Scotland] Act but does not say whether it applies, and there is no link I could find to the primary legislation The guidance is deliberately silent on when hard-wired systems will be required, but states that "flats may require such".

This matters greatly. An expensive certified electrician will be required to do the work, and getting mains cables to the various detectors will mean holes in walls and ceilings, possibly facings and skirtings ripped off, and hence redecoration.

They also state that a Building Warrant may be required for this work. 200,000 would be a very conservative estimate of Scottish flatted properties affected. Most building control departments were struggling before C ovid. A fraction of that number of applications would bring the system to a standstill.

In its guidance the Government refers to the Gr en fell Tower fire, of three years ago, as the reason for springing this on us now. Significantly, the underlying cause of the deadliness of that fire was the weakness of government regulation.

Our political/administrative class appear not understand the reality they are trying to manage.

DAVID HOGG Glanville Place, Edinburgh