Press Releases - 26.03.2024
Eschborn, March 26, 2024: 95% of landlords in Germany invest in safety measures such as smoke alarms to protect their tenants. This includes the installation and regular replacement of these devices, which landlords are obliged to do nationwide. In Hesse and Baden-Württemberg, the next replacement deadline is December 31, 2024.
Although 74% of respondents stated that they were well informed about the legal provisions and regulations on smoke alarms in rental properties, only 12% of respondents were able to correctly name the next mandatory replacement date (year) in their federal state. Of those surveyed, 41% mentioned dates that were too late, 26% said they were too early, while 21% responded but had no idea of the exact date. If landlords are aware of the obligation to replace these but have not yet done so, a lack of time and weighing up the options, such as the choice of service provider, are the most common reasons for this. As a result, only 77% of smoke alarms in Germany have been retrofitted in accordance with the current replacement guidelines (after 2014), although 95% have installed smoke alarms in existing rented buildings.
Image information: Smoke alarm installation. (Copyright: Techem)
The safety of the tenants remains crucial
A large majority (88%) of landlords stated that it is important to them that their tenants feel safe and protected with regard to fire safety in their rental properties. 87% consider the regular maintenance of smoke alarms to be important. More than half (59%) are even prepared to invest in additional measures to increase the safety of their tenants.
When it comes to replacing smoke alarms, just under a quarter of landlords (23%) opt for smoke alarms from a service provider to ensure that the smoke alarms (48%) and their functionality (47%) meet the legal requirements. Another reason is that landlords prefer to have all services carried out by a single source (47%).
Nicolai Kuß, CSO of Techem, emphasizes the importance of installing and replacing smoke alarms: “Landlords are aware of their responsibility to invest in measures for the safety of their tenants. Techem can make an important contribution here with its smoke alarm services by advising landlords on how to meet their legal obligations and supporting them with the installation and inspection of radio-readable smoke alarms. With the consistent further development of our multifunctional smoke alarms, we are also already working on innovative product and service offerings for the next generation.”
This survey was conducted online between January and February 2024. A quantitative survey was used to ask 297 private landlords about their attitudes and behavior regarding smoke alarms.
Interested parties / landlords can find further information on smoke alarms and the Techem range here.
About Techem
Techem is a leading service provider for smart and sustainable buildings. The company's services cover energy management and resource conservation, residential health and process efficiency in real estate. Founded in 1952, the company is now active in 19 countries with around 4,199 employees and services more than 12.5 million homes. Techem offers efficiency improvements along the entire value chain of heat and water in real estate. As the market leader in remote radio detection of energy consumption in homes, Techem continues to drive networking and digital processes in real estate. Modern radio smoke detectors with remote inspection and services related to improving drinking water quality in properties complement the solution portfolio for the housing industry. For more information, visit www.techem.com/corp/en.
