Around one in three renters in London do not have a life-saving carbon monoxide alarm installed in their property, research has revealed.

Carbon monoxide, an odourless, colourless gas, is released when fuels like wood, gas and coal are burned inefficiently and leads to 50 deaths a year in the UK according to NHS data.

When the gas particles are inhaled, they irreversibly bind to the haemoglobin in red blood cells and reduce the cell's capacity to carry oxygen.

This means less oxygen reaches the body's tissues and can lead to dizziness, nausea and breathing difficulties and in prolonged exposure cases can seizures, loss of consciousness and heart attacks.

Landlords are required by law to provide carbon monoxide detectors in their properties if they have "solid-fuel heating appliances" such as wood or coal.

This covers just 8% of all rented property stock, but the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is also present in properties with gas appliances, which covers around 78% of all rental properties in England.

Despite a change to the law in 2015, research by Energy UK revealed that four in five renters have no idea that it is their responsibility to provide the alarms, while 33.6% of London renters have no alarm.

The alarms are not expensive to purchase of install but there is a lack of awareness of why they are needed, say CO Be Alarmed!

While the alarms themselves are cheap and easy to use, awareness of the need for a carbon monoxide alarm could prevent unnecessary deaths in the UK every year.

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, said: “As chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Carbon Monoxide, this is an issue I have championed throughout my parliamentary career and is something I feel very strongly about.

"With no smell or visible presence, the only way to detect the dangerous gas is through the installation of an audible alarm.

"Awareness of this easily forgotten step is vital in saving lives. We’ve made good progress, but we must continue to work to bring the number of these entirely preventable deaths down to zero."

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He added: "I value the vital work that the Carbon Monoxide Be Alarmed! campaign is doing to achieve this goal and support the call for legislation to ensure all private tenants are protected.”

Lawrence Slade, chief executive of Energy UK and CO Be Alarmed! spokesman, said: “Our research shows private renters are still at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning with one in three not having a carbon monoxide alarm fitted at home.

"That is why we are calling on government to extend the legislation to protect all private renters including those with a gas appliance which is over 80 percent of homes.

“In the meantime we urge tenants to use our simple ABC checklist – Do you have an A larm fitted?

"Have you tested it and are the B atteries working?

"Have you had an up to date gas C heck?. This the only way to protect yourself and your family."

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