Fire safety: nearly a third of social housing providers delegate the renewal of smoke detectors to tenants

Conducted among 337 landlords, it comes at a time when the systems installed 10 years ago – following the entry into force of the Alur law imposing the deployment of these systems in all housing – are expiring.

According to the study, while more than half of landlords have taken the initiative to renew their smoke detectors, nearly a third (29%) believe that this replacement is the responsibility of their tenants, and 6% have not yet taken up the subject.

Renewal of the DAAF (Declaration of Acceptance of Fire Safety): an initiative taken by the majority of landlords

Since the implementation of the Alur law in 2015, and within the framework of social housing rentals, it is the landlord's responsibility to install the device in the tenant's apartment. However, ensuring its proper functioning (i.e., testing it regularly) remains the tenant's responsibility.

According to Nathan Nyong, Head of Business Development France at FireAngel: « While a large majority of landlords had participated in the deployment of smoke detectors, the thorny question of their replacement now arises.. It is indeed good to remember today the absolute necessity of renewing them, because their effectiveness declines sharply after 10 years. »

In this context, FireAngel commissioned a study from its partner QSBAIL to assess the state of the smoke detector market in social housing. Regarding replacements, 26% of respondents indicated they used a public procurement process, and 39% used multi-service tenders (via amendments or existing contracts).

Leaving the responsibility to the tenant: a dangerous game

However, 29% of them believe that this renewal is the tenant's responsibility, and 6% say they haven't yet made a decision. While the law may support their position by specifying that it's the occupant's responsibility to ensure the proper functioning of their system, such a stance could nevertheless expose them to risks.

For Nathan Nyong: « The reality turns out to be more complex.. In certain situations, landlords could – at least partially – be held responsible. For example, if no follow-up or reminders have been implemented, if some properties are poorly equipped, or if there is no overall management. A case that set a precedent in Toulouse in 2022 comes to mind. »

And for good reason: the landlord in question was found partially responsible for a fire because the device—poorly positioned and nearing the end of its lifespan—failed to trigger an alarm. This case suggests that the best option for landlords remains managing the replacement of their smoke detectors.

Therefore, raising awareness and coordinating their replacement seem essential. Without coordinated action, many homes will soon be equipped with defective or outdated smoke detectors, giving a false impression of compliance.

Cooperation and harmonization: cornerstones of fire safety

To mitigate this critical risk for social housing providers, standardizing equipment ensures a consistent level of safety and simplifies maintenance and replacement. Some providers have recognized this, such as OPHIS, which recently announced the replacement of 13,645 stand-alone smoke detectors (DAAF) in the housing units it manages. This standardization must be accompanied by rigorous traceability: identifying installation dates, scheduling replacements, and archiving data.

Furthermore, to avoid creating a conflict between landlords and tenants, several partnerships have been established to optimize the replacement of smoke detectors in social housing. This is the case with Paris Habitat, which has renewed its contract with several tenant associations, providing for the installation and full warranty of new detectors in all its properties. This ten-year collective agreement ensures that all tenants have compliant, high-quality equipment, installed by simply clipping a new detection head onto the existing base. In the event of a detector malfunction, its replacement will be covered at no extra cost.

For Nathan Nyong: « The study reveals a mature but fragmented French market for security systems, where landlords oscillate between autonomy, delegation, and indecision. These initiatives demonstrate that in this type of complex operation, unity is more important than ever. »