At ABC Gone Ltd, tenant safety is very important to us.
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are there to help protect you and everyone living in your property. These alarms can give you an early warning if there is smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide in the home.
Carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because you cannot see it, smell it, or taste it.
That is why it is important to check your alarms regularly and report any issues as soon as possible.
Why alarm testing is important
Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms can save lives.
A smoke alarm warns you if there is smoke or fire in the property.
A carbon monoxide alarm warns you if carbon monoxide is detected. Carbon monoxide can come from certain fuel-burning appliances, such as boilers, gas fires, or other fixed combustion appliances.
Testing your alarms only takes a few seconds, but it is an important part of keeping your home safe.
Who is responsible for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?
Landlords must make sure the correct alarms are installed and working at the start of a tenancy.
During the tenancy, tenants should regularly test the alarms, replace batteries where the alarm allows this, and report any faults as soon as possible.
If an alarm is not working and the issue cannot be resolved by replacing the battery, please contact ABC Gone Ltd immediately so we can arrange help.
The government guidance confirms that landlords are responsible for repairing or replacing faulty alarms once they are informed and the alarm is found not to be working.
What do smoke alarms look like?
Smoke alarms are usually small, round devices.
They are often fitted on the ceiling and may be found in hallways, landings, or rooms depending on the layout of the property.
What do carbon monoxide alarms look like?
Carbon monoxide alarms can be square or round.
They may be fitted on a wall, shelf, or ceiling. They are usually located near rooms with fuel-burning appliances, such as a boiler or gas fire.
How to test your alarm
Testing your alarm is simple.
Find the test button on the alarm. It may say “Test”, or it may be the main button on the device.
Press and hold the test button for a few seconds.
If you hear a loud sound, the alarm is working correctly.
Please repeat this process for every smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm in the property.
What if the alarm does not make a sound?
If there is no sound when you press the test button, please check whether the battery needs replacing, if the alarm has replaceable batteries.
After replacing the battery, test the alarm again.
If the alarm still does not work, please contact ABC Gone Ltd immediately.
Please do not ignore a faulty alarm.
What if the alarm is beeping?
If your alarm is making a short beep every so often, this usually means the battery is low.
Please replace the battery promptly if the alarm has replaceable batteries.
If the beeping continues after replacing the battery, or if you are unsure what to do, please contact ABC Gone Ltd.
Please reply once you have tested your alarms
Once you have tested the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your property, please reply to our email and confirm one of the following:
- All alarms have been tested and are working correctly
- The battery has been replaced and the alarm is now working
- One or more alarms are not working and need attention
This allows us to update our system and keep a record that the safety check has been completed.
Important safety reminders
Please do not:
- Remove the alarm
- Remove the batteries and leave them out
- Cover the alarm
- Paint over the alarm
- Ignore warning sounds
- Delay reporting a fault
Working alarms are a vital safety requirement.
Watch our video guide
We have created a short video guide showing how to test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Watch the video here:
Download the PDF guide
We have also created a simple PDF guide for tenants.
Download the guide here:
Need help?
This guide explains how to test your alarms, what to do if there is no sound, and what to do if your alarm is beeping.
If you experience any issues with your smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector, please contact us as soon as possible.
ABC Gone Ltd
Phone: 020 8553 0645
Email: info@abcgone.com
Maintenance: abcgone-maintenance.10ninety.co.uk
