Delays to installing carbon monoxide alarms in Adur Homes properties

Registered social housing providers had to fit carbon monoxide alarms by October 1 under a new law.

Adur Homes – Adur District Council’s housing arm – has said it will work to provide its tenants with alarms ‘very very shortly’.

But opposition councillors expressed concerns that the council may not be complying with the new law.

During a full council meeting on Thursday (20 October), Jude Harvey (Labour, Southwick Green) asked the cabinet member for Adur Homes and customer services Carson Albury why some residents didn’t have carbon monoxide alarms.

“We’ve been told that the majority of customers in Adur have no carbon monoxide detection,” she said.

“I understand you’re going out to tender for a contract to deliver a programme of electrical installation over a period of three to four years.

“If the new contract hasn’t been drawn up, there’ll be considerable delay before works even start.

“How are you able to ensure the safety of the residents in these homes?”

Mr Albury acknowledged that there would be a delay in rolling out electric alarms.

This is because a contract with a previous fire safety contractor was terminated.

“I have been assured by the head of housing that all tenants without electric carbon monoxide detectors will be provided with a battery operated one initially and that will start shortly,” said Mr Albury.

“I myself have a battery operated one and I think they’re very effective. “

At a council meeting earlier this month, head of housing Akin Akinyebo said he did not know how many properties lacked carbon monoxide detectors.

This prompted concerns from Debs Stainforth (Lab, Southlands) who said: “I’m just worried that we’re not complying with the law on tenant safety.”

The Regulator of Social Housing expected all registered providers ‘to be compliant with the regulations when they came into force on 1 October 2022’ or to install detectors ‘promptly’ to ‘mitigate any risk to tenants’.