Find out about changes to our services and Christmas opening times on our Festive information page. To find out when your bin will be collected over the festive period, visit Changes to County Durham bin collections at Christmas.

Due to maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 11.45am on Tuesday 24 December until 8.00am on Thursday 2 January: our online Council Tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations for landlords

Guidance to landlords of private-rented properties about their responsibilities under the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations.

The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Regulations came into force in 2015 and were updated in 2022.

Under these regulations, all relevant landlords must ensure that:

at least one smoke alarm is equipped on each storey of their homes where there is a room used as living accommodation
a carbon monoxide alarm is equipped in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers)
smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are repaired or replaced once informed and found that they are faulty

Enforcement

Landlords found to be in breach of their duties will receive a notice requiring works to be carried out within 28 days. Failure to carry out these works will result in a fixed penalty charge notice (fine) and associated costs.