Complying With New Smoke Alarm Legislation

As of January 2022, the legislation for smoke alarms in all properties has been updated. This means all dwellings leased or sold must comply with this new legislation in order to follow the law. It is important for all landlords to make sure they meet these legislations before they take any actions. This can be done by hiring a professional like Glasshouse Home Safety, for instance, who will be able to conduct a thorough smoke alarm inspection on your property.

While each state has different requirements, it is up to the property manager or landlord to make sure their properties are compliant with current smoke alarm legislation at any time.

What changes are included in the new legislation?

All smoke alarms installed in the property must be photoelectric and be hardwired to the main power supply or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery.

Another crucial factor is that all smoke alarms in the entire property must be interconnected, that way if one goes off, all go off. Sometimes it is hard to determine where the smoke or sound is coming from, which means that the fire can sometimes be detected when it is already too late. If all smoke alarms go off together, everyone will be alerted and prompted to leave the dwelling straight away. This can be a life saving measure, which is why it was included in the new legislation.

There are certain rules when it comes to the correct placement of the smoke alarms. The devices need to be placed on each story, in each bedroom. But that is not all, you also need to consider a certain distance of the wall, light fittings, air- conditioning, fans, etc when installing the smoke alarms.

Who needs to comply?

All sellers need to comply prior to settlement in order to be compliant. That way they can notify the buyer that all devices in the property are in line with current legislations

If you are an owner occupier, you have until 2027 to adjust smoke alarm installations to the new rules. However, it might be worth making the change now and get peace of mind that your family and home are always safe.

For landlords, different rules apply: they need to make sure that either at the commencement of a new lease or a lease renewal all dwellings and units need to be in line with the new domestic smoke alarm legislation.

As you can see, there are lot of rules to follow when it comes to updating your property according to the new rules. While it may seem like an inconvenience for some, it is important to understand that these rules do have a purpose which is to save lives. You should not only update your smoke alarms to follow the rules and avoid penalties, but you should also do this primarily to keep everyone in the property safe. By following the new legislation, you can rest assured, that your family, tenants, property, and belongings are protected from fire the best way possible.