Landlord and property alarm services
Smoke Alarm Certificate
Arrange a smoke alarm check, installation, replacement or written property record for a rented home, managed property or handover.
Send the postcode, property type, number of storeys, existing alarm details, access arrangements and deadline. We will confirm whether battery-operated, mains-powered, interlinked or specialist alarms need to be considered.
The quick answer
What is a smoke alarm certificate?
There is no single nationally prescribed domestic document called a smoke alarm certificate. Customers usually use the term for a dated record showing which alarms were present, what was checked, whether a test response was obtained and what installation or remedial work was completed.
A clear record can support a landlord inventory, letting-agent file, property handover or maintenance history. It does not, by itself, certify every aspect of fire safety or replace an HMO licence, fire-risk assessment, building-control approval or the legal duties applying to the property.
Our starting prices
Smoke alarm prices
These are from prices for the stated scope. We confirm the device specification, quantity, existing wiring, interlinking, access and any electrical work before booking.
Battery-operated alarm
Battery-operated smoke alarm
From £60 each
Starting price for each agreed battery-operated smoke alarm supplied or replaced within the confirmed scope.
Mains-powered system
Mains-powered smoke alarms
From £150 for up to five
Starting price for an agreed mains-powered smoke alarm or detector installation covering up to five alarms.
More than five mains alarms
Additional mains-powered alarm over five
From £45 each
Starting price for each additional mains-powered alarm where the confirmed installation requires more than five.
Landlord guide for England
The alarm duties and the record are not the same thing
For covered rented homes in England, the official guidance says relevant landlords must equip at least one smoke alarm on each storey containing a room used as living accommodation. Prescribed alarms must be in proper working order on the first day of a new tenancy.
At least one smoke alarm is required on every storey containing living accommodation.
Each prescribed alarm must work on the first day of a new tenancy.
Landlords must repair or replace an alarm after being informed and establishing that it is faulty.
The England regulations do not choose battery or mains power for every home. Official guidance recommends selecting alarms for the building and residents and following the relevant standards and manufacturer instructions. HMO licensing, building work, fire-risk findings or local authority requirements may set a higher or more specific standard.
Choose by specification, not price alone
Battery-operated and mains-powered alarms
Both types can have a place, but the cheapest device is not automatically suitable. Confirm the applicable rules, alarm grade, sensor type, power supply, interlinking and accessibility needs first.
Battery-operated alarms
- Can suit an agreed domestic replacement or additional position
- Sealed long-life batteries may be preferable to replaceable types
- Must still meet the property requirement and manufacturer instructions
- Expiry date and maintenance arrangements should be recorded
Mains-powered alarms
- May require an appropriate electrical supply and competent installation
- Can include backup batteries and wired or radio interlinking
- Existing compatibility must be checked before adding alarms
- New wiring or remedial electrical work changes the scope
Agree the scope before attendance
What a smoke alarm visit may include
A test-button response is useful, but it is not the same as laboratory testing of the sensor. The visit records what can reasonably be checked within the agreed service and accessible areas.
- Property storeys and accessible living accommodation
- Alarm quantity, type and visible positions
- Visible damage, contamination or missing covers
- Manufacturer, model or expiry details where legible
- Test-button response at the time of attendance
- Battery or mains power information where apparent
- Interlink response where included and safely testable
- Missing, faulty or unsuitable alarms identified
- Installation or replacement work within the quotation
- Dated notes or agreed property record
Prepare the right information
What to send before booking
Accurate details help us choose the right service and avoid a return visit. If a landlord, agent, insurer, fire-risk assessor or local authority has supplied a specification, send it before the quotation is agreed.
For occupied property, arrange access to every relevant storey and tell the tenant what areas may need to be entered.
A clear booking process
From property details to a useful record
Send the requirement
Provide the postcode, storeys, existing alarms, occupancy, deadline and any formal specification.
Confirm alarm scope
We agree the likely alarm type, quantity, installation work, access and starting price.
Attend and complete
The agreed checks, installation or replacement work is carried out where access and conditions allow.
Record the outcome
You receive the agreed record, invoice and any notes on additional or remedial work.
UK rules are not identical
Check the nation and any property-specific standard
This service page is written mainly for properties in England. Wales requires covered rented homes to have working mains-powered smoke alarms on each storey, interlinked with the other mains-powered alarms. Scotland has separate interlinked fire and smoke alarm requirements. Northern Ireland also has its own housing and building standards.
Always check the current rule for the property location, tenure and licence. A larger HMO, converted building, supported accommodation, commercial area or communal system may need specialist fire-alarm design or a fire-risk assessment rather than a standard domestic visit.
Related property checks
Combine access where the services are due together
Common questions
Smoke alarm certificate and installation FAQs
Is a smoke alarm certificate a legal requirement?
The rules generally require suitable alarms and evidence that prescribed alarms were working at the relevant time, rather than a nationally prescribed document called a smoke alarm certificate. A dated inspection, installation or test record can help a landlord or agent demonstrate what was checked, but it does not replace the legal duties that apply to the property.
How much does a smoke alarm service cost?
Battery-operated smoke alarms start from £60 each. Mains-powered smoke alarm or detector installations start from £150 for up to five alarms. If more than five mains-powered alarms are required, each additional alarm starts from £45. The final quotation depends on the alarm specification, existing wiring, access and property requirements.
What is included in the battery-operated alarm price?
The price starts from £60 for each agreed battery-operated alarm supplied or replaced within the confirmed scope. The device type, fixing position, access and any removal or remedial work must be agreed before attendance.
What is included in the mains-powered alarm price?
The mains-powered service starts from £150 for an agreed installation of up to five alarms. Where more than five are required, each additional alarm starts from £45. New cabling, circuit alterations, specialist access, interlinking requirements and remedial electrical work can change the quotation.
What smoke alarm duties apply to landlords in England?
For covered rented homes in England, relevant landlords must ensure at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey containing a room used as living accommodation. Prescribed alarms must be in proper working order on the first day of a new tenancy, and faulty alarms must be repaired or replaced after the landlord is informed and the fault is established.
Does England require battery or mains-powered smoke alarms?
The England regulations do not prescribe battery or mains power as the only permitted option. The alarm type should suit the building and occupants, follow the manufacturer instructions and meet the relevant standards. Other rules, licence conditions, building requirements or local authority directions may require a particular system.
What happens during a smoke alarm visit?
The agreed visit can include checking visible alarm positions, device condition, expiry information, test-button response and the number and type of alarms present. Installation, replacement, interlinking or electrical work is carried out only where it forms part of the confirmed quotation.
What should I send before booking?
Send the full postcode, property type, number of storeys, occupancy or tenancy status, existing alarm details, photographs where useful, access arrangements and deadline. Mention any HMO licence, fire-risk assessment, insurer, agent or local authority specification before the visit.
Are carbon monoxide alarms included?
Carbon monoxide alarms are a separate safety requirement and are not automatically included in a smoke alarm quotation. Tell us about boilers, fires, stoves or other fixed combustion appliances so the correct smoke and carbon monoxide alarm scope can be discussed.
Are the smoke alarm rules the same across the UK?
No. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different housing and fire-safety requirements. This service page focuses on properties in England. Wales has specific mains-powered and interlinked requirements for covered rented homes, while Scotland has separate interlinked alarm standards. Confirm the property location and any licensing conditions before booking.
Request a smoke alarm quote
Send the postcode, storeys, existing alarms and deadline
We will confirm the suitable service, starting price, access needs and whether battery, mains, interlinked, CO or specialist alarms need to be considered.
