Working smoke alarms are the best way to alert people to fires in their home. Most fires are caused by bushfires, unattended cooking in kitchens, faulty heaters and electric blankets, children/ fire fascination and festive season lights and decoration.
New regulations effective March 2020 due to changes in residential tenancy regulations (NSW)
- An annual smoke alarm service is now mandatory
- Landlords are now responsible for the urgent repair/replacement of smoke alarms
- Landlords are now responsible for the replacement of batteries
- Landlords are now obligated to replace alarms as per manufacturer's instructions
- Under certain circumstances tenants can manage their own smoke alarm requirements, e.g., they can change the battery but must notify the landlord they are doing so and must re notify when they have completed.
From 23 March 2020, NSW landlords and agents need to ensure that smoke alarms installed in rented properties are in working order.
Landlords must ensure that at least 1 smoke alarm is installed in a hallway outside a bedroom or other suitable location in each storey of a rented home. Smoke alarms (including heat alarms) must be working, and they cannot be removed or disabled.
Tenants must notify their landlord or agent if they discover that a smoke alarm is not working, even if it's because the battery needs to be changed.
Landlords must:
- Have smoke alarms checked every year to ensure they are working
- install or replace removable batteries every year (or for lithium batteries, in the period specified by the smoke alarm manufacturer)
- replace smoke alarms within 10 years of manufacture, or earlier if specified by the smoke alarm manufacturer
- give the tenant at least 2 business days' notice to inspect or assess the need for a smoke alarm repair or replacement
- give the tenant at least 1-hour notice to carry out a repair or replacement of a smoke alarm
- use a licensed electrician to repair or replace a hard-wired smoke alarm.
Have more questions about your Newcastle investment property? Want to ensure you are maximising your returns? Why not see for yourselves the difference a dedicated team of property managers makes? For a free copy of our Property Investors Guide or for an obligation-free chat, email our Director, Casey Healey on casey@c21newcastle.com.au or phone 02 4928 7400 today.