EICR and smoke detectors

[Nickj]

Hello all,

A friend that lives abroad but owns a property here has decided to rent out his house through an estate agency. They require a gas cert and EICR.

I had a quick look over the property (visual only) and noticed that downstairs is supplied by a 16A radial. That radial powers all of the downstairs sockets including the kitchen and cooker! His friend who lives there now did say that if he has the cooker on he can't put much else on otherwise mcb trips...no wonder.

Today I met an electrician there so he could quote for an EICR and put a ring final in for the kitchen.

He will get back to me with a quote however he said that he would not be able to "pass" the electrics unless he also installed mains powered interlinked smoke alarms and a heat detector in the kitchen.

Currently the house has battery operated smoke alarms.

I have looked through the regs and I can't see any requirement for this? Could someone confirm that they are not required or point me in the right direction so I can read the regulation myself.

All I have managed to find is that since Oct 2015 all rental properties must have smoke detectors but that battery operated ones are fine.

I cannot see anywhere that an EICR would "fail" for something that is not connected to the electrical system. Are they not a report on the installation as it stands?

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Andy78]

I'd tell him to get another quote from an electrician that understands the scope and remit of a periodic inspection to BS7671 the wiring regulations. Any mains wired smoke alarms that are present must be included in the inspection of course but BS7671 has no requirement for detection equipment.

He sounds like he either has poor understanding or is trying it on.

 

[pcam1984]

The smoke detectors have nothing to do with an EICR, this is an inspection of the existing installation.

New landlord legislation states that rental properties must have mains powered interlinked smoke and heat detection with battery back up and a minimum of sealed battery carbon monoxide detection in rooms containing fixed gas appliances (boiler gas fires etc.). Smoke detectors are needed in main living space and hallways (up and downstairs if 2 storey house, heat detector in kitchen.

I have been doing a lot of these in the past year and still have a couple of hundred to work through. If you pm me your email address I can send you the info that is required in Scotland, the legislation came into force in England and Wales before Scotland as far as I am aware, there was a great deal of confusion over what was required at the start but it all seems to have been sorted now.

 

[Simlec]

Not sure where you got the mains linked bit from as they can use battery.

the info you require

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...lan_book_Annex_A_LandlordsTenants_REVISED.pdf

 

[Simlec]

Sorry just noticed your from Wales, so as it stands (I would have to double check) there is no requirements yet in Wales. But any responsible landlord would put some smokes in.

 

[Nickj]

Sorry just noticed your from Wales, so as it stands (I would have to double check) there is no requirements yet in Wales. But any responsible landlord would put some smokes in.

Hi, Thanks for your reply and the link to The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations.

I am unsure if they apply in Wales however they do clearly state that battery operated alarms meet the regulations.

The main point of the post was about the electrician saying he could not give an EICR without the mains powered interlinked alarms being installed. I thought this was incorrect but I wanted to confirm.

The house has battery powered alarms installed and so it seems this would meet all the regulations.

This allows my friend to make an informed choice as to what he wants to do. Maybe he will want to install mains powered ones, maybe he will want to update the alarms currently in the house to interlinked battery powered alarms, maybe he will want to leave them as they are.

The fire service which install alarms for free (at their discretion) install battery operated alarms and so I thought it odd that mains powered interlinked alarms are the only type allowed.

Thanks for your help

 

[pcam1984]

I thought England was the same as Scotland, we have to have mains powered battery back up and all smokes and heat have to be interlinked, there is also a requirement for sealed battery carbon monoxide detection but most of the landlords I have worked for have opted for the mains carbon.

 

[Octopus]

Don't you just love it. The spark is a Muppet. Go back and ask which reg he is referring to as I suspect he is making it up

 

[DuaneMHunt1976]

Well not a MUPPET more trying to get more money out of people for things that aint needed.

Personally ask him where it says about having to do this...
And find another Electrician or Two

 

[rich.250]

Another so called spark who obviously shouldn't be doing EICR's.


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[davesparks]

What ever happened to getting a minimum of 3 quotes for a job?


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