Me or the landlord?

[nothingtowearever]

I moved into a rented property in Nov 2018. This morning my fire alarm is beeping- I've tried to get it down and I can't. I saw a sticker saying must be changed by Dec18. So one month after we moved in so they obviously weren't changed before. Is it my responsibility to change the batteries or the LL? This beeping is already driving me insane 😭😭

If the beeping is annoying you take it down and change the batteries. It is usually a landlords responsibility to fit them but I can't imagine all landlords go round to every house they rent to change the batteries.

If its the battery then i would say its your responsibility to change them (we always have) but if its a sealed unit one that the whole thing has to be replaced that is the landlords job to do

I'm really not sure, I'm struggling to take it down. Don't want to break it?

I'd think changing the battery would fall into the same category as changing a light bulb really - and surely it's more faff to strange for the landlord to come out and do it anyway. Just be careful getting it down - we once had my now husband drunkenly standing on the bannister trying to get one down because the beeping had become too much for us. No one was hurt, but not the most sensible thing we've ever done...

Ar you sure it doesn't open to access the batteries rather than needing to take the whole thing down? All the ones I've had simply hinge open - they're screwed to the ceiling so you can't get them down.

The two detectors I have (different makes) are rotated to get them down. I've also had hinged ones too.

Post a photo of it please and someone will know.

I need a thin flat ended screwdriver to push into a wee slot to be able to slide the unit off the ceiling

Thanks for all your replies I'll post a picture when I'm home and hopefully someone will know I'm absolutely useless with DIY! Thank you x

we have wired in smoke alarms and mine started beeping randomly and i found a you tube video that told me how to do it - was a knack but once you knew what that was it was pretty simple. Hadn't realised there was also a back up battery! I am also useless with DIY !

With mine you need to stick a screwdriver in a slot and then slide the cover in the opposite direction. Look up your model & google for directions.

HAVING SAID THAT… I believe the expiry notice will be for the detector itself, not for the batteries. So yes your landlord will need to sort it.

So it is beeping because the battery is also low, but the expiry notice is for the unit itself.

He/you can probably get a free unit installed from the fire service.

For a smoke alarm to certified to British Standard EN 14604:2005, they must have a “replace by” date on them. This applies to all smoke alarms, from those that have “sealed for life” batteries, removable batteries or are powered by mains-supply.
(From www.fireangel.co.uk/blog/your-smoke-alarm-needs-replacing-every-10-years-have-you-checked-the-date)

Most people don't realise that there is a 10 year life for detectors, battery or hard wired. Apparently the sensors can wear out and they get dust etc in them. They need replacing to be totally reliable. It might be the batteries need replacing or the detector is twittering as the sensors are wearing out but tell your LL. He/she should replace them.

Most ASTs say that the smoke alarm must be in working order at the time that the property is let but that the responsibility for changing the batteries when they wear out is the tenant's. As a PP said even the wired in ones have back up batteries that need replacing from time to time.