Smoke alarms and body corp

[zayne]

Hi all,

Just wondering who is responsible for smoke alarms in an apartment with body corp? I had an inspection done and it turns out there is no smoke alarm in the apartment. Is that my responsibility to have one installed or is that body corps? Also, do they have to be hard wired ones or are the battery operated ones ok?

Thanks.

 

[wylie]

I don't know what the law is in Victoria, but I would be whacking a couple of long life battery ones in TODAY.

Imagine the trouble you will have if something happens and you didn't have smoke alarms.

It is not a big cost, so I would just do it.

 

[Alabex]

You may need to check the VIC law but in NSW it is:

• Every property must have a smoke alarm.
• The landlord is responsible for a smoke alarm in the unit
• The body corporate is responsible for the fire rating of the building - not to put an alarm in every unit. This relates more to common area, exit signs, extinghishers, grades of doors etc.
• If the smoke alarm has a removal battery it is the landlords responsibility to change it at the start of any new lease agreement
• Unless they are physically unable too, the tenant is responsible for changing the battery during a tenancy.
• There is a bit of a question mark around the type of alarm that needs to be installed, as differnet infromation states differnet regulations. I would however recommend a hard wired 240v alarm. It appears that although it is not currently the law to have it hard wired this is the general direction it is heading, so might as well skip a couple steps ahead and do it.
  
  Hope that helps

 

[marg4000]

Your property = your responsibility.

We have owned units in the past and always ensured there were a couple of smoke detectors in them. A couple of $20 smoke alarms could save lives, as well as preventing loss of your asset.

It is now law in Queensland that ALL rental properties have smoke detectors, at least one on each level if the property has more than one level.
Marg

 

[DavidMc]

After I had a tenant try to steal (oh sorry, I should say, she accidentally bumped it off the roof somehow) one of my mains wired ones on her way out I know I had to replace it with a mains wired one as that was the one originally in place.

Cost to me $240.

 

[TheCamel]

just put one in. it'll cost you what, 20 bucks ?

when i say "one" i do of course mean, however many you need in appropriate areas. 1 isn't good enough for a 4 bedroom split level house for isntance.

it's not the body corporate's responsibility, however general firesafety is.

 

[DavidMc]

just put one in. it'll cost you what, 20 bucks ?

Unfortunately the ongoing costs are more...

Most places charge $50-$60 for a yearly 'battery change and test'.

Sure you can do it yourself, but once you own a few properties around the country...

 

[wylie]

The costs of maintenance are real, but not a reason do avoid putting one in.

 

[zayne]

Thanks guys. Ive organised with the PM to have one fitted ASAP.

 

[TheCamel]

I just sent my tenant a battery in the mail with a kind "would you mind installing this", ps it's a condition of your lease

 

[jaycee]

Unfortunately the ongoing costs are more...

Most places charge $50-$60 for a yearly 'battery change and test'.

Sure you can do it yourself, but once you own a few properties around the country...

So it;s worth going outlaw to avboid $50 - can;t your tenant check & change the battery just like you did ? Mine just installed an exhaust fan in the bathroom

 

[DavidMc]

I think the best solution is to ask the PM to do it during an inspection.

Yes, you can ask the tenant to do it however if they don't and something happens... what happens then?

I've had a tenant leave a battery OUT of a smoke detector 'because it kept going off all the time when I burnt my toast'.