Smoke alarms have been compulsory in all rental homes since 1 July 2016.  They could be the difference between life and death.

Tenants – check your smoke alarms are working when you put your clocks forward by pressing the test button, and look for an expiry date on the alarms.  If you don’t have working or current smoke alarms, talk to your landlord. There is a penalty of up to $3,000 for removing, disconnecting or damaging a smoke alarm.

Landlords – if you don’t have the right working smoke alarms fitted in the right places you face a penalty of up to $4,000.  Landlords must replace smoke alarms that are past their expiry date. If there is no expiry date and the smoke alarms are over eight years old or their age can’t be determined, it’s best to replace them. 

Landlords must make sure the smoke alarms are working at the start of every tenancy and tenants must change the batteries if necessary during the tenancy.

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