The Student Room Group

Is this illegal - can I use it to get out of my student tenancy agreement?

My student accommodation flat has a faulty fire alarm. It goes off at random times of the day, sometimes for 10 minutes or more in the early hours of the morning. It is so loud and I can't cope anymore.
I'm also worried about the health and safety aspect too, because how can I ever believe that there is a real fire if there would be one. I'm aware that this is illegal as they are required under the Regulatory Reform (fire Safety) Order 2005 to provide adequate fire detecting/fighting equipment that is in working order.
How can I begin the process to get out of my tenancy? Besides just move out after I've lived out the weeks that have been paid. Won't they just try and claim it from my guarantor?
Sorry - I meant to put "is this ok" not "is this illegal" in my thread title
First of all contact your uni/landlord and get them to come and sort it out, it's probably an easy fix


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Reply 3
Original post by GlitterandGold-x
My student accommodation flat has a faulty fire alarm. It goes off at random times of the day, sometimes for 10 minutes or more in the early hours of the morning. It is so loud and I can't cope anymore.
I'm also worried about the health and safety aspect too, because how can I ever believe that there is a real fire if there would be one. I'm aware that this is illegal as they are required under the Regulatory Reform (fire Safety) Order 2005 to provide adequate fire detecting/fighting equipment that is in working order.
How can I begin the process to get out of my tenancy? Besides just move out after I've lived out the weeks that have been paid. Won't they just try and claim it from my guarantor?


There is no way you can get out of your tenancy agreement due to a faulty fire alarm. Report the fault to your landlord as you are no doubt obliged to do so by the very agreement you're trying to revoke.
Original post by Reue
There is no way you can get out of your tenancy agreement due to a faulty fire alarm. Report the fault to your landlord as you are no doubt obliged to do so by the very agreement you're trying to revoke.


My apologies - I forgot to mention in my OP that I have already emailed them 4 times and made 2 phone calls. They've lied and said "someone on the floor was cooking food" (what 3 times in one night?) and that "we're going to have someone look at it".... nothing as of yet has happened. I've had enough.
It's been 4 weeks since I moved in and have had to suffer with being woken in the early hours of the morning. It is supposed to be "premium" accommodation. It is also illegal to rent out a flat that does not have a working fire alarm.
Not only that, but it is a health and safety risk. If there is a real fire how would I know when I'm so used to the alarm going off
Original post by GlitterandGold-x
My apologies - I forgot to mention in my OP that I have already emailed them 4 times and made 2 phone calls. They've lied and said "someone on the floor was cooking food" (what 3 times in one night?) and that "we're going to have someone look at it".... nothing as of yet has happened. I've had enough.
It's been 4 weeks since I moved in and have had to suffer with being woken in the early hours of the morning. It is supposed to be "premium" accommodation. It is also illegal to rent out a flat that does not have a working fire alarm.
Not only that, but it is a health and safety risk. If there is a real fire how would I know when I'm so used to the alarm going off


Is this private accommodation, or university halls?

If it's private accommodation, I suggest contacting the CAB or shelter for advice.

If it's university halls, it's genuinely possible that people are cooking food late at night (or smoking indoors), and fire alarms going off late at night is often part of halls living. It may be possible to transfer to a different halls, or block- have you asked about this possibility?

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