BS-5839 part 6 LD3

Does BS-5839 part 6 LD3 need to be reviewed?  Points to consider.

LD3 is considered the Minimum Protection for a domestic dwelling.

Normally in a 3 bed semi detached house Detectors are in all circulation areas that form part of the escape routes (hallways and landings) ONLY.  Would/Could it beneficial to include or mandate a heat alarm for the kitchen and/or plant room if present?  (Plant room could contain kit from Solar PV battery storage or inverter etc)

LD3 also seems to infer that the fire will/could start inside the dwelling rather than elsewhere.  As an couterargument example an e-bike may be left directly outside the front door or rear door.  Does LD3 take into full consideration the shear amount of electrical and electronic items now in the average dwelling?  Most dwellings will contain at least 1 mobile phone which may or may not be left charging overnight, same could be said for a laptop or tablet or small battery pack (20000mAh USB Power Bank or less).  With direct reference to the small battery pack reference is made to the fact that China requires CCC certification for power banks sold within the country and strictly prohibits non-CCC certified, unclear, or recalled power banks on domestic flights.


LD3 seems to only really apply in England & Wales as Scotland changed their law in 2022.  In Scotland every home (owner-occupied, private rented, social housing, and new build) must meet a minimum standard that is functionally equivalent to Category LD2.



As always please be polite and respectful in this purely academic debate.





Come on everybody let’s help inspire the future.

  • Normally in a 3 bed semi detached house Detectors are in all circulation areas that form part of the escape routes (hallways and landings) ONLY.  Would/Could it beneficial to include or mandate a heat alarm for the kitchen and/or plant room if present?  (Plant room could contain kit from Solar PV battery storage or inverter etc)

    See below re plant room.

    Does LD3 take into full consideration the shear amount of electrical and electronic items now in the average dwelling? 

    Well, I'll have a go at this.

    BS 5839-6 almost goes as far as to say not, because it goes to the extent of saying effectively where electronic equipment is placed in places that are not frequently visited (lofts cited as an example, and store cupboards), detection should be fitted in those places (I think that applies to both LD3 and LD2.systems).

    A difficulty with the current approach for LD3 is,that it makes the system no longer an LD3 system, but the standard doesn't then tell us what category the new "LD3+" system is, because it's not quite LD2 either ...