S6W-27422

Asked by: Briggs, Miles (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Lothian)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any knowledge or information regarding the level of compliance with the new repairing standards for fire safety and electrical fittings in Scottish households, which came into force in March 2024.

Answered by McLennan, Paul - Minister for Housing

The Scottish Government does not currently collect any information about compliance with the new repairing standard requirements on electrical fittings. Where a tenant believes the Repairing Standard is not being met in the house they rent from a private landlord, they can apply to the First Tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) for a determination.

No new requirements for fire safety came into force under the Repairing Standard in March 2024.

A requirement for fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors was previously part of the Repairing Standard. Since 1 February 2022, this requirement has been part of the Tolerable Standard and is therefore required in all tenures, including private rented housing.

In 2022 the Scottish House Condition Survey asked the following new question on fire alarms: Has the dwelling satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire. Responses were recorded as a yes or no answer, and in order to be recorded as ‘yes’ a dwelling must have interlinked fire alarms installed meeting a number of criteria.

The Scottish House Conditions Survey conducted in 2022 shows that around 41,000 dwellings (14% of private rented sector dwellings) failed the smoke alarm criteria.

While all dwellings meeting the fire alarm criteria have interlinked fire alarms, there may be some dwellings recorded as having insufficient fire detection equipment that do have interlinked fire alarms but failed the fire alarm criteria due to other factors such as insufficient number of alarms, improperly powered alarms, or improper locations of alarms. However, due to the yes / no mode of question this number cannot be quantified from 2022 SHCS data.

From 2023 the SHCS question on fire alarms will provide details as to why a dwelling’s equipment for detecting a fire is unsatisfactory which will allow analysis in this area from 2025.

Correspondence May. 23 2024

Found: o Carbon monoxide o Carrying agents e.g. Propylene glycol and glycerol.