The British Property Federation (BPF) has hailed Government plans to make the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms compulsory across all social and private rented properties in the UK.

Communities Minister Penny Mordaunt announced the move at the Local Government Association annual fire conference, following years of campaigning, led by the Chief Fire Officers Association and supported by the BPF.

The BPF said the crackdown was necessary to force the small number of landlords who did not install alarms in their properties to bring them up to standard. The English Housing Survey estimated in 2013 that 82% of private rented homes already had smoke alarms fitted.

It said that although most landlords do everything necessary to ensure the safety and comfort of their tenants, making the installation of CO and smoke alarms compulsory will give tenants peace of mind and provide clarity to landlords. The BPF recommended that the obligation on landlords and their agents should be to ensure that there are working detectors at the time the tenancy starts. There should be an obligation on tenants, however, to maintain and test the alarms and to report any faults.