To provide some clarity around the new legislation, Queensland-based smoke alarm services company, Smoke Alarm Solutions (SAS), will be hosting a workshop for property managers at their brand new premises on Tuesday, 6 December.
According to Julieanne Worchurst, national sales and marketing director at SAS, the workshop is open to all real estate property managers, even if their portfolios aren’t serviced by Smoke Alarm Solutions.
“Landlords need to ensure their property complies with the new smoke alarm legislation as soon as possible before the deadline, to save the lives of their tenants, and also to protect their investment,” Worchurst said.
“Under the new legislation, smoke alarms need to be installed by a qualified technician or electrician. We all know that availability of electricians can be tight at critical times and seasonally busy periods, such as the Christmas and festive season.
“Plus, with the new legislation in place, and looming compliance deadlines, electrician appointments will be in even shorter supply than normal. Landlords should make a booking now, rather than risk being non-compliant due to the expected shortage of electrician appointments at the last minute.”
The new legislation provides a higher level of safety for both rental and owner-occupier dwellings. These new requirements require additional measures on top of those that have been in place since 2006.
“The new legislation states that, rather than in the entry of each bedroom, smoke alarms need to be installed inside every bedroom of a home (or where a person sleeps). Alarms will need to be powered by either 240 volt or a 10-year lithium battery, and photoelectric rather than ionisation. Additionally, all smoke alarms need to be interconnected with one another, so they all sound when smoke is detected, rather than just the alarm that is activated first.”
The first deadline is just around the corner. By 1 January 2017, newly built or significantly renovated homes need to be compliant with the new legislation.
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