Some 71% of landlords have not yet organised a carbon monoxide alarm in their rental property, according to a survey of tenants carried out by Axa Business Insurance. 

The poll of almost 500 tenants also found that 68% of landlords have not yet organised an annual electricity check, while 54% are yet to install a fire alarm and 43% have failed to arrange an annual gas safety check. 

Despite this, the research documented a largely harmonious relationship between the UK’s tenants and landlords. 

Some 59% of the tenants surveyed said they pay a fair price in rent and almost half said they have a good or very good relationship with their landlord.  

Over a quarter of tenants said their landlord has done something ‘nice’ for them, while a fifth said they have done something ‘nice’ for their landlord in return. 

However, when asked, 85% of respondents agreed that the government ‘should do more to protect people who rent from private landlords’.

“There’s clearly a lot of good-will between landlords and their tenants and our research shows that rental home horror stories and negative stereotypes are few and far between,” comments Darrell Sansom, managing director of AXA Business Insurance. 

“Having said that, we know that more and more people are slipping into the landlord role through circumstance rather than design, and it seems that despite a positive approach and good intentions, many are simply not aware of all of their safety responsibilities.”  

From October it will be mandatory for new tenancies that a carbon monoxide alarm is fitted in any room in a rental property that contains a ‘solid fuel burning combustion appliance’ and for smoke alarms to be fitted on every floor of any rented property where a room is used as living accommodation.