Batteries in Smoke Detector

Tenancy Types and Management

Hi,
I've recently had to take a tenant to court because of arrears. The tenant has tried to wiggle out of paying off the arrears by saying he had to pay for certain items. One item he does mention having to replace smoke detector batteries. I wonder how the court will look at this as it's a health and safety matter. I do not have any proof batteries were left at the property for the tenant to change. Battery were new when he moved in but tenant has been there for 18 mths. There is nothing in my T.A. regarding the maintenance or changing of batteries for smoke alarm which I noticed your T.A. does have.

How should I address my reply regarding this matter? I was thinking something along the lines of the tenant never mentioned batteries needed to be changed and we are happy to re-imburst cost of batteires. From a health and safety point, the smoke alarms bleep on low battery so the tenant could had informed us of this and we could had replaced battery.

Thanks