Consultation on Fire and Smoke Alarms in Scottish Homes

Shelter Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation on fire and smoke alarms in Scottish homes, and broadly agrees with the proposals outlined.

At Shelter Scotland, we believe everyone is entitled to a safe, secure and affordable home, and safety from fires is a crucial part of that. This right should not be dependent on the tenure someone lives in, but should be an achievable standard wherever they live.

A common standard for all tenure types means everyone has the ability to live in a safe home, regardless of their neighbours, whether they are in a block of flats or a semi-detached house, and whether they or their neighbours are owner occupiers, rent from the council or other social landlord, or from a private landlord.

Recent tragic events at Grenfall Tower in London show the devastating consequences that fire can have on lives, families and whole communities. It is paramount that we learn from this, and that all reasonable measures are taken to ensure people are safe in their homes.