Fire alarms, is this normal?

[Birdkin]

The management of my building had people in to install new fire alarms/smoke detectors today. I had work so had a family member let them in. Just got home and they’ve installed new heat/smoke alarms all good but they’ve also installed one of those smash in case of fire red box alarms?? This is not in a communal area but in the actual corridor of my flat. Is this normal? I’ve never seen one inside someone’s actual home before and it’s so obtrusive! It’s right next to the (three!) detectors so not sure how useful it is though I suppose there’s a very small chance they all fail at once while I’m home…

YABU - Totally normal
YANBU - it’s weird

Bonus question, what hallway decor goes with fire alarm red

It's intended to be obtrusive.

Well, if there is a fire in one of the other flats, I think you would be glad if it's set off as soon as possible/whilst the occupants are on their way out of the door; it means that nobody is relying upon the fire and smoke spreading out of the flat before anybody else knows about it, for example.

Unfortunately, being safer doesn't always match with aesthetics. But safer is better than pretty in this respect.

Not normal. If low rise, 4 storey max, all alarm sounders, detectors, break glass are in communal areas. Ask to see the fire risk assessment from the management company?

I don't think it's been normal previously, but maybe it might become normal in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster. A fire in one flat obviously poses a huge risk to the other residents, so I suppose it's in everyone's interests for the properties to have the quickest emergency alarms available in each one. And one of the other replies says, they're meant to stick out like a sore thumb so they can be spotted or felt for in seconds.

I do totally get why you're less than thrilled, though, especially if you weren't told/asked in advance.

@Kocduw yes it’s a converted house not a huge block of flats so did seem a bit odd.

@incognitoforthisone thank you yes that does make sense but like you say I wasn’t warned about it at all, probably wouldn’t have been so perturbed if I’d known in advance

Hmmm. Definitely not normal. Usually you would have the detector in each flat and a break glass in the commonways.

Did they realise it was your own hallway?