Landlords will be required by law to install working carbon monoxide and smoke alarms in their properties.

The measure took effect from October 2015, and comes with strong support after a consultation on property condition in the private rented sector.

The move will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries a year.

The proposed changes to the law would require landlords to install carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms – such as those where boilers or gas fires are installed.

Landlords would also need to install smoke alarms on every floor of their property, and test them at the start of every tenancy.

Ensuring the safety of tenants

Those who fail to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms would face sanctions and could face up to a £5,000 civil penalty.

This would bring private rented properties into line with existing building regulations that already require newly-built homes to have hard-wired smoke alarms installed.