SMOKE
ALARMS
In
residential premises
To
enhance safety and minimise
loss-of-life in building fires, the NSW Parliament enacted the
Building Legislation Amendment (Smoke Alarms) Act in July 2005. The
Act allows regulations to be made to require smoke alarms to be
installed in existing buildings in which people sleep.
A
smoke alarm is an effective early
warning device designed to detect smoke and alert building occupants
to the presence of a fire. Installed in the correct location, it
increases the time available for safe escape.
From
1 May 2006, when the Environmental
Planning and Assessment Amendment (Smoke Alarms) Regulation 2006 came
into effect, owners of residential property are responsible for
ensuring smoke alarms are installed.
The
Smoke Alarms Regulation specifies
which types of buildings will need smoke alarms installed, the types
of alarms, where they are to be located and other matters. Contact
details for more information about the requirements under the
Regulation are listed in this factsheet.
Changes
to fair trading laws
Several
fair trading laws and
regulations have been revised as a result of the new smoke alarm laws
and this information summarises these changes for the people that are
affected.
Landlords
and tenants
Under
the Residential Tenancies Act and
the Residential Tenancies (Residential Premises) Regulation:
Landlords
are responsible for the
installation of smoke alarms in rented premises.
Landlords
have the right of access to
rented premises to fit smoke alarms after giving the tenant at least
2 days notice.
Neither
the landlord nor the tenant
are, except with reasonable excuse, permitted to remove or interfere
with the operation of a smoke alarm fitted in the rented premises.
Where
a smoke alarm is of the type that
has a replaceable battery, the landlord must put a new battery in at
the commencement of a tenancy.
After
the tenancy begins, the tenant is
responsible for replacing the battery if needed. However, if the
tenant is physically unable to change the battery the tenant is
required to notify the landlord as soon as practicable after becoming
aware of the need for it to be replaced.
The
tenant is not responsible for the
replacement of batteries in ‘hard-wired’ smoke alarm systems that
have battery back-up. This is the responsibility of the landlord.
The
condition report section of the
tenancy agreement must include a specific reference to smoke alarms
so that tenants and landlords are able to note and comment on the
presence of smoke alarms at the beginning and end of the tenancy.
IMPORTANT
– Owners of residential
property who rent out their premises as holiday accommodation are
responsible for installing smoke alarms and replacing batteries.
Owners
and residents of residential
parks
Under
the Residential Parks Regulation:
- Park
owners who rent out on-site
accommodation under tenancy agreements are responsibile for
installing smoke alarms in rented premises.
- Park
owners have the right of access to
rented premises to fit smoke alarms after giving the tenant at least
2 days notice.
- Neither
the park owner nor the resident
is, except with reasonable excuse, permitted to remove or interfere
with the operation of a smoke alarm fitted in the rented premises.
- Where
a smoke alarm is of the type that
has a replaceable battery, the park owner must put a new battery in
at the commencement of a tenancy.
- After
the tenancy begins, the resident
is responsible for replacing the battery if needed. However, if the
resident is physically unable to change the battery the resident is
required to notify the park owner as soon as practicable after
becoming aware of the need for it to be replaced.
- The
resident is not responsible for the
replacement of batteries in ‘hard-wired’ smoke alarm systems that
have battery back-up. This is the responsibility of the park owner.
- The
condition report section of the
tenancy agreement must include a specific reference to smoke alarms
so that residents and park owners are able to note and comment on the
presence of smoke alarms at the beginning and end of the tenancy.
The
above obligations on park owners
equally apply to residents who sub-let their moveable dwellings.
Strata
scheme lot owners
In
a strata scheme:
- Owners
of lots can install smoke alarms
in their lots without having to obtain approval of the owners
corporation.
- There
is an obligation on lot owners to
repair any damage to common property caused by the installation of a
smoke alarm.
Lot
owners who rent out their strata
scheme residential property should note their responsibilities as
landlords in relation to smoke alarms under the Residential Tenancies
Act and the Residential Tenancies (Residential Premises) Regulation.
Operators
and residents of retirement
villages
Under
the Retirement Villages
Regulation:
- Operators
are responsible for the
installation of smoke alarms and the replacement of all required
batteries in premises occupied by residents.
- Operators,
or persons authorised by
operators, have the right of access to premises occupied by residents
to install smoke alarms and to replace batteries after giving the
resident at least 2 days notice.
- The
condition report section of the
occupancy agreement must include a specific reference to smoke alarms
so that residents and operators will be able to note the presence of
smoke alarms at the beginning of the occupancy.