Smoke Alarm Legislation

The most recent legislation that you need to be aware of and act on relates to Smoke Alarms installed in residential properties.

 

For a contract entered into from 1 January 2022 onwards, the seller will need to ensure that the additional requirements outlined below have been satisfied in order to give notice to the buyer in the standard ,Contract of Sale that a Compliant Smoke Alarm(s) has/have been installed.

 

If a property owner sells their property without compliant smoke alarms installed, they will be in breach of the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 and may face legal penalties. (Also, the buyer will be intitled to terminate the contract)

 

For any domestic dwelling being sold, or where a new tenancy starts or an existing tenancy is renewed, the Act required smoke alarms in the dwelling to:

 

  • Be photoelectric (AS 3786-2014)

  • Contain an ionisation sensor

  • Be less than 10 years old

  • Operate when tested

  • Be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so each activates at the same time

  • Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey, in each bedroom and in hallways that connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling. If there is no hallway, between bedrooms and other parts of the storey.

  • If there are no bedrooms on a storey, there must be at least one smoke alarm installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling

  • Smoke alarms must be either hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year old battery, or a combination of both may be allowed

  • Smoke alarms must not be placed within, 30cm of a corner of a ceiling and a wall, 30 cm away from a light fitting, 40 cm away from an air-conditioning vent or 40 cm away from blades of a ceiling fan.

 

The obligation is on the seller to disclose / evidence that compliance has been achieved in relation to installation of compliant smoke alarms.

 

The Hicks Team can arrange your compliant smoke alarms and compliance certificate through Homey Connect as well as answer any questions or concerns relating to this new legislation

Please do let us know if you would like The Hicks Team to arrange an obligation free quote on your behalf. You will receive this quote within 24-hours.

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