How the 2022 Legislation has Changed the Smoke Alarm Servicing Industry

The rush to comply with the new QLD legislation is slowing down but now is not the time to become complacent. The 2022 smoke alarm legislation is well and truly in effect, with a large portion of residential rental properties now meeting the new requirements. It is incredibly important for property managers to remember that continued smoke alarm compliance is essential and that there are now additional factors to keep in mind.

As has been the case since 2007, there are ongoing requirements for smoke alarms to be tested and cleaned within 30 days prior to each lease renewal or change. Smoke alarms must also be changed prior to the end of their ten year service life and batteries changed when expired.

In the years leading up to the 2022 smoke alarm legislation, Smoke Alarm Solutions – the REIQ’s trusted smoke alarm partner – warned landlords and property managers against using inexperienced smoke alarm providers as the new requirements are both strict and complex, and shouldn’t be left to a novice. We are now attending properties for the first time following the commencement of the new legislation, where an upgrade was carried out by another provider and they are reporting a large number of non-compliant properties. Landlords who saved on their smoke alarm install by using a cheaper provider may now be in for a nasty shock when they are presented with the cost to rectify compliance issues.

When we identifies these issues at their attendance, they will mark the property as non-compliant and provide a report detailing the works needed to rectify. Property managers will have to be ready to deliver the bad news to landlords, as the costs can be hundreds of dollars in rectification work – with the worst case scenario being a complete replacement of the existing smoke alarms.

We are also finding that some smoke alarm installers have used inferior alarms in their upgrades which can cause issues down the track. Often, the original installers of these alarms do not offer ongoing service or maintenance and are nowhere to be found when the alarms fault. We have opted to only install reputable brands with proven track records to avoid these scenarios for their clients.

If you still have landlords who are yet to upgrade the smoke alarms within their rental properties, contact us today and trust the experts to ensure all compliance requirements are met.

Don’t leave compliance up to chance. Ensure you deal with the experts.