(a) Smoke alarm requirements shall be enforced by the State Fire Marshal, a county or municipal fire marshal, a fire chief, the Baltimore City Fire Department, or any other designated authority having jurisdiction.

(b) (1) The building permit applicant is responsible for the proper installation of required smoke alarms in residential occupancies constructed on or after July 1, 2013.

(2) If a building permit is not required, the general contractor shall bear the responsibility described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(c) The landlord or property owner is responsible for the installation, repair, maintenance, and replacement of smoke alarms required by this subtitle.

(d) Occupants of a residential occupancy may not remove or tamper with a required smoke alarm or otherwise render the smoke alarm inoperative.

(e) (1) Testing of smoke alarms is the responsibility of the occupant of the residential unit.

(2) (i) A tenant shall notify the landlord in writing of the failure or malfunction of a required smoke alarm.

(ii) The written notification required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall be delivered by certified mail, return receipt requested to the landlord, or by hand delivery to the landlord or the landlord’s agent, at the address used for the payment of rent.

(iii) If the delivery of the notification is made by hand as described in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, the landlord or the landlord’s agent shall provide to the tenant a written receipt for the delivery.

(iv) The landlord shall provide written acknowledgment of the notification and shall repair or replace the smoke alarm within 5 calendar days after the notification.

(f) (1) If a residential unit does not contain alternating current (AC) primary electric power, battery operated smoke alarms or smoke alarm operation on an approved alternate source of power may be permitted.

(2) Battery operated smoke alarms shall be sealed, tamper resistant units incorporating a silence/hush button and using long-life batteries.

(g) A smoke alarm may be combined with a carbon monoxide alarm if the device complies with:

(1) this subtitle;

(2) Title 12 of this article; and

(3) Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standards 217 and 2034.