Should Scottish Government delay new smoke detector law

[baldelectrician]

Was contacted by a local paper last week and asked about the Scottish Government smoke alarm requirements coming in on February.

Was mentioned in an article (and even had my good looks used to enhance sales ), although they spelled my name wrong (Stewart McLintock)

See below

 

[pc1966]

While I think that proper alarms are a good thing and should eventually be a regulation, this move has been poorly thought through and no provision I know of to support those unable to afford a professional system but unable to manage a DIY.

The weaselly worded cost estimate (based on cheaper alarms and DIY install) is misleading the public about its impact, as is the gov claims it won't be enforced, etc, but maybe insurance will start using it to deny payments, etc. Also the claims it is base on / to avoid another Grenfell Tower tragedy, even though that class of building and the serious aspect of inflammable cladding (still a WTF? for building standards) is utterly different to the vast majority of properties this applies to.

TL;DR Not thought through, should have been based on some aspect where it is managed as part of larger work anyway for non-rental property (e.g. on property sale or rewire job so managed over many years until feasible to force remainder to be upgraded)

 

[baldelectrician]

While I think that proper alarms are a good thing and should eventually be a regulation, this move has been poorly thought through and no provision I know of to support those unable to afford a professional system but unable to manage a DIY.

The weaselly worded cost estimate (based on cheaper alarms and DIY install) is misleading the public about its impact, as is the gov claims it won't be enforced, etc, but maybe insurance will start using it to deny payments, etc. Also the claims it is base on / to avoid another Grenfell Tower tragedy, even though that class of building and the serious aspect of inflammable cladding (still a WTF? for building standards) is utterly different to the vast majority of properties this applies to.

TL;DR Not thought through, should have been based on some aspect where it is managed as part of larger work anyway for non-rental property (e.g. on property sale or rewire job so managed over many years until feasible to force remainder to be upgraded)

The Scottish Building Standards have banned the cladding used in Grenfel for dwellings above 2 floors (unless that cladding is encased in 75mm of concrete), this was changed in 2007 - well before the disaster

 

[littlespark]

I can’t see why people say there wasn’t enough advertising about the new legislation.
I’ve seen tv adverts, newspaper, website ads, and AICO sent every home in Scotland a flyer, twice I think.

The only thing I would have an issue with is having to replace alarms that are still in date. You could have one with the replaceable battery, that’s only 3 to 4 year old. It’s powered, the occupants are sensible enough to replace the battery when needed and they’re interlinked.

Never come across it… most of the ones I change are hitting 20 or more years.

 

[baldelectrician]

The article is now online


Sunday Mail smoke alarm atricle

Scots have just days to install new fire alarms or risk insurance policies

Controversial legislation coming into force on February 1 requires every property to have an “interlinked” system costing up to £400.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk

 

[Julie.]

For me there are a number of aspects, some I agree with and some I do not.

In terms of timescale, we the public have known about this since a few days following Grenfell , the Scottish government made a big deal about enacting legislation making smoke detection in all properties immediately after the fire. This is close to 5 years ago now.
So have the public had sufficient notice - absolutely!! (Do the public realise the sound-bites made by their politicians actually may impact them - certainly not!)

As for cost and impact - total lies by the government who want to make the sound-bite but not suffer the consequence - it isn't even realistic; in practice the vast majority of poorer homes will have old gas or coal fires extracting via old chimneys - so a CO in both downstairs rooms plus the bedrooms above plus the smokes etc so not only are the quantities totally wrong, the actual individual cost is unrealistic as few would be able to do it correctly.

And as for enforcement, why introduce a law that you intend to ignore??
Are we the public to decide which laws are real, and which are pretend - you know those laws just to enable sound-bites??

Locally we have 20mph limits introduced - are these to be ignored as well?

If any law is introduced
1) costs should be supported for the needy
2) it should be fully enforced
3) if the above 2 requirements are not met, it shouldn't be introduced as it isn't intended for the right reasons, but for political gain.

Unfortunately the law was introduced, solely for the sound-bite

 

[Julie.]

Was mentioned in an article (and even had my good looks used to enhance sales ), although they spelled my name wrong (Stewart McLintock)

See below

View attachment 94014

Now we have famous people on the forum....

 

[pc1966]

Now we have famous people on the forum....

I was thinking we just had infamous people

 

[pc1966]

And as for enforcement, why introduce a law that you intend to ignore??
Are we the public to decide which laws are real, and which are pretend - you know those laws just to enable sound-bites??

The apparent lack of public engagement might well be down to this. Why take any notice of a law the government itself says it won't enforce?

One aspect that bothers me is the sound-bite "we must be seeing to do something" aspect of such a move.

The other is the worrying aspect of such non-enforced laws that they will only be enforce when it suits someone to prosecute for other reasons, which could well be political or petty personal grievances with a councillor, etc.

 

[littlespark]

We had the 20mph introduced in Scottish Borders a year ago…
“Every town, village and built up area”

Took the council weeks to change the signage from 30 to 20, and 40 to 30 in some places.

Then, 6 months later… they decided some small places didn’t deserve the 20, and reverted them back to 30…. Using brand new signs!
Where was all the old ones?


Famous people on the forum?
That’s Baldy and Lucian both had coverage…

Although I have been in my local for fitting a defribulater for nowt… just don’t talk about it.