The Government has appointed councillor Mark Healey, chair of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority, to champion fire safety standards among residential landlords.
Mr Healey – who is a landlord himself – takes up the role as part of the Fire Kills campaign which, since its inception in 1988, has seen a substantial reduction in fire deaths and casualties and ownership of smoke alarms standing at 86% last year.
But according to the Department for Communities and Local Government, the evidence suggests that those renting properties without an alarm are often the most vulnerable to the risk of fire, such as older people or single parent families.
Mr Healy will remind private landlords that it is good practice to install and maintain smoke alarms in the properties they are renting out, and will encourage them to fit long-life smoke alarms like 10-year battery devices or hard-wired systems in every home they rent out.
Announcing the role at the Housing Sector National Forum earlier this month, fire minister Bob Neill said:
"I am delighted that Cllr Mark Healey has agreed to join the Fire Kills campaign as an advocate for private landlords. A landlord himself, Mark will, I believe, be a strong and compelling voice on behalf of the campaign, encouraging landlords to install and maintain smoke alarms in their properties."
