Fitting smoke alarms: Where this is now mandatory
The apartment owner must install the smoke detector. In many federal states, however, the resident - i.e. the tenant - is responsible for smoke detector maintenance. So far, the smoke detector obligation has hardly been checked at all. However, if a fire breaks out and no smoke alarm is fitted, it will be expensive for the defaulting owner.
Fitting smoke alarms: Overview of the individual federal states
Baden-Württemberg: Mandatory for existing and new buildings
Bavaria: Mandatory for existing buildings from 2018, mandatory for new buildings
Berlin: mandatory for existing buildings from 2020, mandatory for new buildings from 2016
Brandenburg: not mandatory for existing and new buildings
Bremen: Mandatory for existing buildings from 2016, mandatory for new buildings
Hamburg: mandatory for existing and new buildings
Hesse: Mandatory for existing and new buildings
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Mandatory for existing and new buildings
Lower Saxony: Mandatory for existing buildings from 2016, mandatory for new buildings
North Rhine-Westphalia: Mandatory for existing buildings from 2017, mandatory for new buildings
Rhineland-Palatinate: Mandatory for existing and new buildings
Saarland: mandatory for existing buildings from 2017, mandatory for new buildings
Saxony: no obligation for existing buildings, obligation for new buildings from 2016
Saxony-Anhalt: mandatory for existing buildings from 2016, mandatory for new buildings
Schleswig-Holstein: mandatory for existing and new buildings
Thuringia: Mandatory for existing buildings from 2019, mandatory for new buildings
