A new Government survey on fire safety shows that private renters were least likely to have a smoke alarm and privately rented properties were most at risk from fire.

The English Housing Survey provides data on the nature of homes which experienced a fire, the characteristics of households which have a working smoke alarm and the different types of fire hazards found in homes.

To read the report in full, click here.

In 2013/14, almost 2.5 million households either did not have a smoke alarm or had one but it was not working, with private renters in  particular much less likely to have one working.

The survey also showed that in nearly half of home fires, smoke alarms did not go off, with a further 31% revealing that their smoke alarm did not go off because of its lack of proximity to the fire.

Homes built before 1919 were identified as having a high risk of fire, as were privately rented properties, with 29% found to have a higher risk.

Overall, however, ownership of smoke alarms has increased over the last ten years, with 88% of households polled having a smoke alarm, up 8% from 2003-04. 

Original source

Gov.uk