Why would sprinklers not be a requirement in homes but are in apartments?

You are responsible for the safety equipment in your home and should you or your family burn to death because you didn’t fit sprinklers, you are responsible. In an apartment block, the owner(s) including local councils have a duty of care to ensure their premises are as safe as possible, and they can be held legally responsible if they don’t do that. That’s one difference.

I’d say cost comes into it too. Individuals would not pay for sprinklers to be installed and, especially in your country, some would start screaming about government interference. Also, how would you ensure already built homes installed sprinklers? It would be a huge, huge task.

It’s not even law here to have a smoke detector installed.

They are now required in new home construction here. I heard a friend complaining about how complicated the system is. It needs to be above the living areas but can’t be in a place that freezes in the winter. He estimated it added $10k to the price of the home.

Because apartments hold multiple dwellings….

If your house burns down it’s hopefully only your problem. If a fire breaks out in an apartment it can affect multiple people.

Plus, apartment buildings are businesses, and the law generally has more rules for businesses to protect the public. There is still a feeling in the US that “my property I can do what I want” for people’s homes/homesteads.

It’s a matter of responsibility. As mentioned above, if it’s your home, it’s your responsibility to have a safe home. If you rent, you pay the landlord for a place that’s supposedly safe and secure.

It’s not just rent. I think most states require condominium buildings to have sprinklers too.