Fitness of homes for human habitation: guidance for landlords – Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Following on from our Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 guidance for landlords and tenants, another significant change from the 15 July 2022 stipulates that carbon monoxide detectors are required in each room of the dwelling that contains a carbon-fuelled appliance or flue for rented accommodation in Wales.

This ruling forms part of a new fitness for human habitation requirement and applies from 15 July 2022 for all contracts, including existing ones.

The landlord must ensure that a carbon monoxide alarm in proper working order is in each room of the dwelling, which contains a gas appliance, an oil-fired combustion appliance or a solid fuel burning combustion appliance.

A gas appliance means an appliance for heating, lighting, cooking or other purposes for which gas can be used, but it does not include a portable or mobile appliance supplied with gas from a cylinder, or the cylinder, pipes and other fittings used for supplying gas to that appliance, or an appliance which the contract-holder is entitled to remove from the dwelling under the terms of the occupation contract.

A room includes: a hall, landing or corridor.

There’s no requirement that a CO alarm is fitted to the dwelling’s electrical supply, so a seven or 10-year battery version would be acceptable.

They will need testing before a new occupier moves in because the fitness rules require the dwelling to be fit “on the occupation date”.

Questions? You may have several questions about the landlord changes coming in July 2022? If you would like to have a face-to-face meeting with one of our letting consultants, please feel free to contact our award-winning team at any of our branches below:

Radyr: 📞 02920 842124 📧 radyr@mgy.co.uk

Cardiff Bay: 📞 02920 465466 📧 bay@mgy.co.uk

Birchgrove: 📞 02920 529026 📧 birchgrove@mgy.co.uk

Pontcanna: 📞 02920 397152 📧 pontcanna@mgy.co.uk

Whitchurch: 📞 02922 745848 📧 whitchurch@mgy.co.uk

Welsh Government has also produced some supplementary legislation and technical guidance on the changes for landlords and tenants, you can find out more by clicking here: https://gov.wales/landlords-housing-law-changing-renting-homes

We are here to support landlords and tenants through this process, over the coming weeks we will continue to update you on each specific element on the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 through our social media channels and our website so you can be informed and aware of the changes in order to update properties and documents accordingly.