Every home in Scotland must have interlinked fire alarms by February 2022.

Being interlinked means if one alarm goes off, they all go off.

You may not always hear the alarm closest to the fire, especially if you're somewhere else in the house. An interlinked system will alert you immediately.

The new law states:

One smoke alarm is to be installed in the room which is most frequently used for general daytime living purposes.

One smoke alarm is to be fitted in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings.

One heat alarm is to be installed in the kitchen.

All alarms should be ceiling-mounted and interlinked.

Where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance, such as a boiler, fire (including open fires), or heater, a Carbon Monoxide detector is also required. This does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.

If you live in a one-bedroom flat, you will need two smoke alarms and one heat alarm.

If you are a homeowner, it's your responsibility to make sure your home meets the new fire alarms standard.

You should check that each alarm complies with the following standards:

• Smoke alarms: BS EN14604:2005
• Heat alarms: BS 5446-2:2003
• Carbon Monoxide detectors: British Kitemark EN 50291-1

It is vital that your smoke and heat alarms are able to be linked together to make sure your home is fully compliant.

We will take care of all this for you!

More information about the new law can be found on the Home Fire Safety page of the Scottish Government website and on the Safer Scotland Facebook page.