Rental properties in the UK are required to have flame supervision in ovens at least:
“FSDs became compulsory on ovens around 1984” from http://boards.fool.co.uk/cooker-with-flame-supervision-device-11021774.aspx?sort=whole
Private detached dwellings are not covered by the same rules, presumably because they are less likely to burn down the neighbours property.
But regardless of the rules, in the UK I think flame supervision has been standard on everything except the cheapest of hobs for many years.
