There are big changes just around the corner for smoke alarm compliance.
So what are the changes?
By January 1st 2022 all smoke alarms in rental properties must:
- Be photoelectric and approved to Australian Standard 3786:2014
- Must be 240v hard wired or 10 year non-removable lithium battery smoke alarms
- Must be interconnected to each other so that if one goes all, they all go off
- Be installed in every bedroom, hallway and on every level
How is this a problem?
The issue is too many landlords are not acting quick enough to get it done now. If everyone waits until closer to the deadline then there will simply not be enough technicians with enough time to get them all done before the deadline.
Here’s the math
30,000 rental properties in Townsville
Less than 15% have been upgraded
25,500 properties still to be upgraded
Less than 232 working days left until the deadline
88 properties a day need to be upgraded in Townsvilleeveryday between now and the deadline.
That’s 18 people full time doing nothing else but upgrading smoke alarms. That’s equivalent to 5,100 man days.
There will be landlords that will miss the deadline simply becise there are not enough qualified installers in Townsville to do the upgrades by the deadline.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
Your property will not be compliant. Without this compliance you will not be able to rent out your property so you will miss out on your rental income. The fine for non compliance is $677 to you and the agency also gets charged much more.
How do I make my property compliant in time?
That’s easy, all you need to do is do the upgrade now! We can organise everything for you and then you can rest easy knowing your property is compliant and there is no risk of having a rental property you can’t rent out.
Another piece of inside information
We know that some smoke alarm companies will be increasing their annual service plan upto $129 when this change comes in.
Phoenix Fire Protection Nth Qld are not increasing the cost of their annual plan. So if you are not already with them, it may be something to consider. They are also offering interest free payment plans for the upgrades if you prefer.
To learn more about the importance of regularly servicing appliances, give our blog on air conditioners a read.
