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Smoke Alarms in France compulsory from March 2015

 

Do watch out for the latest scam in which crooks are using this new initiative to get into your home. THERE WILL BE NO SMOKE ALARM CHECKS, SO ANYBODY PHONING FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR COMING TO YOUR DOOR SHOULD BE REFERRED TOOT SWEET TO THE LOCAL CONSTABULARY!

 

Whilst more than 85% of homes in Britian now have smoke alarms (détecteur/avertisseur de fumée/alarme de fumée/détecteur autonome avertisseur de fumée or DAAF), the trend hasn’t yet filtered through to France where it seems that less than 3% of homes have alarms.

At a cost of between €10 and €25, they will be compulsory from March 8, 2015, for residential property whether owned or rented. It is  the owner’s obligation in both cases to ensure a properly functioning detector is fitted.

Do not be befuddled by those who might try to sell you an all-singing, all-dancing alarm. As long as the device conforms to French norm  NF EN 14604, it is legal, and all you need to protect your home.

All houses will need at least one smoke detector fitted. As yet, there has been nothing published to say that this must be done by an electrician.

Long-term tenants will be responsible for the upkeep of alarms, their testing and battery renewal. For holiday rentals, this responsibility falls to the owners.

In order to enforce this new law, it is likely that insurance companies will be asked to  make smoke alarms  a condition of their home insurance policies, to put pressure on householders to buy and maintain detectors. Do check with your insurance if this is so for you. You may then need to provide basic information about the smoke alarm to your insurer. Use the text below to communicate that information.

Je soussigné ___ (your name), détenteur du contrat n° ___ (contract number) atteste avoir installé un détecteur de fumée normalisé au ___ (address) conforme à la norme NF EN 14604

Without a smoke alarm, and in case of fire, you could be charged an excess of €5,000 on your insurance.