Protecting your property is important, and so is protecting your tenants. In Australia, landlords have safety obligations – these responsibilities may extend to real estate agents, property managers, and tenants. You can prevent an accident in your building by following our fire safety advice for landlords.
At Jim’s Fire Safety, our technicians have a certificate II in fire protection inspection and testing from the FPA Australia. We are one of Australia’s most trusted providers of fire equipment testing. Take a look at the rest of our blog for expert advice and get in touch with us if you have any questions.
Commercial Landlord Responsibilities
Are you leasing out a commercial space? Your responsibilities will vary on a case by case basis. A lot of your fire safety obligations will be determined by the lease agreement. You may provide and install fire safety equipment with the provision that it be regularly maintained by the tenant.
Structurally, you are obligated to make sure fire hazards are managed. There are also smoke alarm specific rules for rental properties. Consult with your lawyer and real estate agent if you have any concerns about your compliance.
Smoke Alarms in Rental Properties
Each state has different legislation for landlords and smoke alarms. You can find more general information about smoke alarms in different states, check out our smoke alarm testing page. For more specific fire safety advice for landlords, read on.
In nearly every Australian state, landlords are responsible for the installation of smoke alarms. If you fail to install your alarms according to state legislation and coding, you may face a large fine. The ramifications will vary based on the location of your property. If your property is located in the ACT, you are not required (as a landlord) to install or maintain smoke alarms – though it is highly recommended for the safety of your tenants and the protection of your property.
Smoke alarm legislation for installation and maintenance is regularly reviewed and improved my each state government. As this is the case, it is best to contact Jim’s Fire Safety for state specific information and advice.
Fire Safety Rules for Tenants
Now that we’ve covered some fire safety advice for landlords, you should familiarise yourself with your tenant obligations. This way, if you have someone living in your property (or the property you manage) you have all of your bases covered.
In mosts states, smoke alarm maintenance is the responsibility of the tenant. You need to make sure your tenants are regularly inspecting their fire alarms to ensure they are alerted during an emergency. Any fire safety equipment (such as blankets, hose reels, and extinguishers) that is supplied by the tenant must be inspected according to the intervals dictated by Australian standards. You can find out more about these intervals if you browse through our service pages.
If you need maintenance for any of your fire safety equipment, contact our team here at Jim’s Fire Safety today.
