As a tenant, have you heard of the newest updates to smoke alarm legislations? It involves the smoke alarm roles for your landlord and yourself. It’s important to understand and plan your simple duties, this can help keep your smoke alarms working and your home safe and secure. At DC Smoke Alarms, we know that keeping up with these legislations can be challenging.
Backed with industry knowledge, our team can help you understand how to keep your smoke alarm in check. Which is why we’ve provided a simple to read guide. This will contain everything you need to know from who may be responsible for something, and how to overcome any challenges.
To better understand your role as a tenant, see the below.
In Queensland, landlords must meet certain smoke alarm requirements. This is so they directly comply with legislation, and ensure the safety of your home.
See these outlined by us, below:
Install: Smoke alarms must be installed in each bedroom, storey, and in the hallways that meet the rest of the dwelling.
Maintenance: Landlords must test and clean the smoke alarms within 30 days before the tenancy begins. Alongside with replacing any non-functional, or expired alarms.
Smoke alarm type: The system should strictly be photoelectric, and comply with all corresponding standards. Some include no ionisation sensor, be hardwired, and have 10 year non removable smoke alarm batteries.
To understand if your home’s smoke alarms don’t comply or are no longer operational, there are some signs that you can look out for.
See some of these, provided by our experts:
If you aren’t sure whether your smoke alarm complies, get in touch with our experts. We can provide further clarification on the legislative requirements.
If your smoke alarm doesn’t comply with Queensland requirements, as a tenant you are entitled to take many actions. Firstly, you must have informed your landlord about the issue at hand. Then wait a time period of two working days for the repairs to be undergone. If they are negligent in doing so, you can then act on the following:
*If the landlord does not comply, you have the right to take legal action as they are breaching the tenancy agreement. This can be done through two different methods. Firstly, you can hand in a notice of intention to leave the agreement. Or secondly, under the RTRA act you can apply to the tribunal. This where you can take action for the landlord to meet the smoke alarm legislative requirements.
As a tenant, your smoke alarm responsibilities go hand-in-hand with the landlord. It’s important to be informed on these before the lease starts so you can sure that you are doing your part, and fulfil your own obligations.
Make sure to test each smoke alarm in your home annually. This guarantees its responsiveness in the case of an emergency.
See this step by step guide below:
Inspect the light on the cover: This should flash at a 60 second interval.
Select the test button: Hold it until the alarm, as well as the surrounding ones in your dwelling go off.
Release the button: Ensure that the alarm noise stops once this is done.
The smoke alarm must be cleaned annually. This is to ensure that no existing dirt or debris can prevent the system from operating correctly. It’s important to note that this should be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The vast majority of the time, this includes a combination of drying and vacuuming.
To avoid inflicting damage on the system or causing harm to yourself, see how you should clean it. This will ensure that you fulfil some basic tenant duties, keeping your home fire safety secure.
Here are some basic maintenance measures:
Vacuuming: Ensure to select the smallest nozzle attachment which can work on the system’s crevices. Then carefully work your way around the vents. This can ensure complete precision.
Wiping the cover: Use a cloth that is damp enough to capture the remaining particles. Then using a regular lint free cloth, ensure to completely dry the system.
*Please keep in mind that this is a general guideline to follow. For more specific instructions, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Smoke alarms are a low maintenance fire safety measure. It’s important to clean this system once every 12 months.
In Queensland, smoke alarms must be tested at least once every 12 months. This ensures they can detect smoke fast to alert you in case of a house fire.
There are some common mistakes that tenants make for smoke alarms. To help you avoid these, we’ve provided a simple guideline based on the QFES.
See this below:
From January 1st 2022, landlords, agents, and property managers must have met a new legislation with every new lease or lease renewal. It’s important that you are aware of this, to ensure the safety of your household.
Before you begin renting a property, keep the following in mind:
To meet all smoke alarms responsibilities, look out for the below.
Our team has provided a brief guideline, to simplify this.
*It’s important to note that if you need further clarification, you should reach out to your landlord or property manager. They should be able to provide you with a brief overview of your responsibilities.
Making sure you understand your smoke alarm role is crucial. This will leave you with more peace of mind. Keep your household safe, by following our comprehensive guide. At DC Smoke Alarms, we recognise how important fire education is. We consistently work towards informing the wider community, with every solution. You can trust us for all your smoke alarm needs.
Reach out to us!
What is the Service Life of a Smoke Detector?
See the exact expiry date of your smoke alarm. This is found on the system as printed by the manufacturer. The maximum lifespan of a smoke alarm is 10 years. To maintain a working smoke alarm, it’s important to stay up to date with cleaning and testing.
Why is My Smoke Alarm Going Off When There’s No Smoke?
If your smoke alarm seems to be set off suddenly, rest assured that this is commonly experienced by tenants. There’s no one size fits all solution to the problem. However, this usually comes down to a lack of maintenance:
See these below:
How do I stop my smoke detector from beeping?
If this happens, it can quickly become a nuisance alarm. To resolve this, ensure to look towards different ventilation types available in the space.
You can turn to one of the following:
*In the event that the smoke alarm keeps beeping, consult with your landlord. They’ll be able to determine the right solution E.G through contacting an electrician.
