As of: February 6, 2024, 4:35 p.m
By: Robin Dittrich
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Smoke detectors are mandatory in all rented and owner-occupied apartments in Germany.
However, the smoke detectors have an expiration date.
Frankfurt – Smoke detectors have been mandatory in all living rooms and hallways for many years.
Residents should be warned in good time about a possible fire.
However, some deadlines must be observed.
Smoke detectors have been mandatory for years: You must observe these deadlines
The smoke detector requirement has now been mandatory in all federal states for over six years.
This obligation and many others were recorded in the DIN standard DIN 14676.
The planning, installation, operation and maintenance of smoke alarms are described there.
It is stipulated for all federal states that smoke detectors must be replaced after ten years.
Last year, this particularly affected households in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg.
Smoke detectors have been mandatory in every household for years.
These must be replaced after ten years.
© Oliver Ring/Imago (symbol image)
The smoke detector requirement came into force there in 2013, which is why many devices expired last year.
The situation is different in Rhineland-Palatinate: smoke detectors have been mandatory there for 20 years, so they had to be replaced for the second time in 2023.
The background to this regulation is that after a period of ten years it can no longer be guaranteed that the measurement technology of the smoke detectors will still work properly.
You must also observe these deadlines when using smoke detectors
In addition to the mandatory replacement of smoke detectors after ten years, landlords also have to observe deadlines beforehand.
According to the DIN standard DIN 14676, they are responsible for annual maintenance.
A service provider must be commissioned to document the inspection.
The rental agreement may stipulate that the tenants are responsible for checking the smoke detectors annually, but the landlords are solely responsible for replacing them.
Homeowners should not let the deadline for replacement or inspection pass.
This can not only have life-threatening but also expensive consequences.
If maintenance is suspended, insurance companies often refuse to cover costs incurred due to fire or smoke.
It is important for tenants: The costs of purchasing the smoke detectors cannot be passed on to the tenants.
A look at the utility bill can therefore pay off.
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