New smoke and heat detectors law in Scotland

[Rannsachair]

Not sure if many Scots are bothering to fit interlinked smoke and heat detectors, they were on back order, so just arrived yesterday and fitted today. Just went for the 12 year battery WiFi versions to save cables, £180!

The new law here came into force this monthhttps://www.mygov.scot/home-fire-safety

 

[Hood]

From what I can gather it is not actually a requirement to have them, a lot of people said your insurance won't honour if you don't have them fitted but that has supposedly also been debunked.
I do have them however as it is a good thing to have in my opinion. I was initially worried that all going off at once would mean I had to switch off from the one initially triggering the whole lot but I can just press any of them and they will go off and I can then investigate if it was a false alarm or not without my eardrums being split

 

[GavJ]

Fitted mine last week, battery wireless, got 4 smoke and 1 heat for £120. Had to wait a few weeks for delivery, supplier in Wigan was struggling with demand. Easy install, link to each other on the table before fitting, 1/2 hr seen them paired and installed.

 

[skotl]

From what I can gather it is not actually a requirement to have them, a lot of people said your insurance won't honour if you don't have them fitted but that has supposedly also been debunked.
I do have them however as it is a good thing to have in my opinion. I was initially worried that all going off at once would mean I had to switch off from the one initially triggering the whole lot but I can just press any of them and they will go off and I can then investigate if it was a false alarm or not without my eardrums being split

It's all very bizarre - "This is a legal requirement however there are no penalties for non-compliance"

 

[Hood]

It's all very bizarre - "This is a legal requirement however there are no penalties for non-compliance"

I just wish I could find where I got the info. It wasn't just some random on the internet but was someone of the Martin Lewis ilk.

 

[GavJ]

I wouldnt trust any insurance comany to be reasonable, from my experience they will look for any reason to knock down your claim.....

I am a fire protection engineer, so maybe bias, but I see anything that improves fire safety as a good thing but when it becomes mandatory you always get the loose moraled type trying to exploit people and prices tend to rise as well..... not so good.

 

[Rannsachair]

I wouldnt trust any insurance comany to be reasonable, from my experience they will look for any reason to knock down your claim.....

I am a fire protection engineer, so maybe bias, but I see anything that improves fire safety as a good thing but when it becomes mandatory you always get the loose moraled type trying to exploit people and prices tend to rise as well..... not so good.

I also thought better play safe and upgrade, makes sense to do it for safety and peace of mind.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

A nice man from the LA came and fitted my 3rd one in the middle of last year.

 

[Hood]

A nice man from the LA came and fitted my 3rd one in the middle of last year.

That was a long way to come, no one in Scotland that could have done it?

 

[aesmith]

I think they're hoping that some will comply anyway, then the rest will be gradually picked up during planning or building warrant applications, or when property sells. A bit like SEPA registration for septic tanks, nobody did that until they came to sell.

On a practical note I see you are using Aico products. Our existing alarms are Aico hard wired and mains powered, but they don't cover all the required areas. Do you happen to know if there is anyway they can be interlinked with new alarms by radio? I can't face lifting floor boards or cutting into plaster or whatever would be need to get cable routes in place. And it would seem a waste to ditch three perfectly good units in order to replace them all with battery/radio.

 

[Rannsachair]

I think they're hoping that some will comply anyway, then the rest will be gradually picked up during planning or building warrant applications, or when property sells. A bit like SEPA registration for septic tanks, nobody did that until they came to sell.

On a practical note I see you are using Aico products. Our existing alarms are Aico hard wired and mains powered, but they don't cover all the required areas. Do you happen to know if there is anyway they can be interlinked with new alarms by radio? I can't face lifting floor boards or cutting into plaster or whatever would be need to get cable routes in place. And it would seem a waste to ditch three perfectly good units in order to replace them all with battery/radio.

I suspect it will only be if they are new enough to have their radio interface plugged in, think the 600 series ones can and you can by the radio link on its own https://www.aico.co.uk/about-us/why-aico/technology/radiolink/

 

[Migmac]

Why do I need new smoke alarms in my house?

Legislation has been introduced that requires all homes to have interlinked smoke alarms fitted.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Go Radio Link gear.
Bit pricy, but is BS approved, easy to fit. Easy to add to.

Will give the 93Db at head board as wll.