Exclusive:'Deeply concerning': Over 5,500 council homes still not meeting new smoke alarm regulations
More than 5,500 council homes in Scotland still do not have interlinked smoke alarms fitted, figures have revealed.
All homes in Scotland have needed to have interlinked smoke alarms since February 2022 under legislation. This means if one alarm goes off, all the alarms in the property go off.
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Hide AdAs the landlord, the local authority is responsible for installing these alarms in council houses.


However, nearly three years on from this legislation being introduced, data has revealed thousands of homes are still not meeting the regulations, sparking fears tenants are being put at unnecessary risk from fire.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives show that as of October 15 last year, there were 5,520 council homes and properties failing to meet these regulations.
This includes 2,800 in Fife, 800 in Aberdeen, 524 in South Lanarkshire and 500 in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh City Council said this number had now halved.
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Hide AdFife Council says there are now 890 that are non-compliant - this includes those who do not have interlinked smoke alarms and those who have out-of-date alarms.
There are a further 150 in the Scottish Borders, 150 in Perth and Kinross, 130 in West Dunbartonshire, 120 in Falkirk, nine in Orkney, seven in North Ayrshire and four in Stirling.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan has been urged to make sure these councils are being properly supported to install interlinked alarms by the Scottish Government to avoid a second Grenfell Tower disaster.
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Hide AdMeghan Gallacher, the Scottish Conservatives’ housing spokeswoman, said: “It is deeply concerning that thousands of homes across Scotland remain at risk of fire.
“The SNP’s severe budget cuts have left our councils without the resources they need to roll-out these fire alarms, which is continuing to put individuals and families at risk. In the wake of the Grenfell disaster, SNP ministers must see how important it is to take this situation seriously.
“Housing Minister Paul McLennan must ensure our local councils receive the support they need to install the significant number of outstanding fire alarms as quickly as possible, and make our homes safe from such risks.”
This comes after the Scottish Government admitted in September last year that most of the £97 million it had received from Westminster to cover the cost of replacing flammable cladding has been spent on other areas.
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Hide AdThe housing minister said 94 per cent of socially rented homes were already fitted with interlinked fire alarms.


Mr McLennan said: “The Scottish Government has provided £1.1m through Care and Repair Scotland to help disabled and older people install interconnected alarms.
“This is in addition to the £1m for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to install alarms in owner-occupied homes identified as being at highest risk and for people who may not be able to meet installation costs.”
The minister added: “The delivery of the cladding remediation programme is accelerating at pace with the commencement of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and publication of the single building assessment standards on January 6.
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Hide Ad“It is also our intention to continue to work with local authorities to assess any elevated risk posed by unsafe cladding and to invest resources when needed.”
Edinburgh City Council leader Jane Meagher said: “Officers are continuing to engage with tenants to gain access to complete these outstanding works and this remains an absolute priority for us.
“I’d urge residents to allow our teams access to their homes when this is requested, so we can carry out these important works.”
Craig Jardine, head of property services at South Lanarkshire Council, said around 24,500 council homes had already been completed, but urged any of the remaining 500 tenants to get in touch with the authority.
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Hide AdHe said: “We have been actively attempting to gain access to all domestic properties to upgrade the alarms to current compliance levels.
“Where applicable, we are checking and upgrading all alarms systems in domestic properties during the five-yearly fixed electrical testing programme, which is allowing us to sweep up some which had not been accessed previously.”
Fife and Aberdeen City councils have been approached for comment.
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