Smoke Alarm Legislation – SA

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Your free guide to South Australian smoke alarm legislation.

Australia’s smoke alarm legislation is complex and ever evolving. Smoke Alarm Solutions aims to give property owners peace of mind by being the experts in legislation and compliance, so you don’t have to be. However, the key requirements have been summarised here, so you are informed of your obligations.

Quick Links – See legal requirements for:

Property Managers Landlords Tenants Home Sellers Owner Occupiers

South Australian Smoke Alarm Legislation – Overview

Property owners need to be aware that when it comes to smoke alarm maintenance, they need to adhere to two types of regulations: Federal requirements and individual requirements for their state.

Fines of up to $750 apply if compliant smoke alarms are not installed.

Rental Properties

What Landlords and Property Managers need to know

General smoke alarm requirements

Regulation 76B of the Regulations under the Development Act 1993 requires that smoke alarms complying with Australian Standard be fitted to all South Australian (SA) homes. Additional requirements exist for SA properties, determined by when the property was purchased or its age.

Landlord responsibilities

In South Australia, the Residential Tenancies Act states that landlords are responsible for ensuring smoke alarms are installed, operating, and maintained in rental properties. It is crucial to comply with these requirements to ensure the safety of tenants.

According to the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS), smoke alarms in rental properties must be installed, cleaned, and tested in accordance with relevant Australian Standards.

Existing buildings

SA homeowners and landlords were required to meet minimum requirements prior to 1 January 2000 for all homes where building approval was granted before 1 January 1995. These homes must have at least one smoke alarm installed, which is powered by a replaceable battery if there was a change of ownership on or after 1 February 1998.

From 1 February 1998, if there is a change of ownership of the land on which any building covered by this legislation is built, the new owner must, within 6 months of title transfer, install smoke alarms either:

  • hard-wired to the 240 volt household power supply (unless the dwelling is not connected to such a supply); or
  • powered by 10 year life, non-replaceable, non-removable, permanently connected batteries.

Need a smoke alarm maintenance solution for your rental properties?

Smoke Alarm Solutions will look after the compliance of your properties or rent roll with our professional, affordable, and time-saving service packages.

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Selling a Property

What Home Sellers and Sales Agents need to know

Seller obligations

Property owners must ensure their properties have working smoke alarms that are correctly installed. Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey and between each part of the property containing bedrooms and the remainder of the property.

It is best practice to get the smoke alarms checked in a property you are selling or buying to check if they meet legislative requirements.

Do you want a smoke alarm compliance certificate for a property you’re selling?

Smoke Alarm Solutions can help with our professional, affordable, and time-saving service and installation solutions.

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Owners Legislation

What Owner Occupiers need to know

Maintenance responsibilities

Homeowners should regularly test, clean and change the batteries in their smoke alarms as best practice to ensure the safety of the property’s occupants. Homeowners are required to replace any smoke alarms that do not operate when tested and any that were manufactured more than 10 years ago. Replacement alarms must meet Australian standard AS 3786-2014.

Current smoke alarm requirements

Currently, smoke alarms in owner-occupied properties should, at a minimum, be installed on each storey and between each part of the property containing bedrooms and the remainder of the property. Depending on when the property was purchased, additional requirements may need to be met.

Need a smoke alarm maintenance solution for your home?

Smoke Alarm Solutions will give you peace of mind with our professional, affordable service packages that look after the compliance of smoke alarms in your home.

See Solutions for Owner Occupiers

Tenants

Tenant FYIs

South Australian tenants are not permitted to remove or relocate a smoke alarm in their rental property or do anything to interfere with the alarm’s warning sound. Also, at no time can the tenant remove the batteries unless they are replacing them.

It is best practice to notify the landlord or property manager as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for a smoke alarm to be repaired or replaced.

Tenants also must be aware that property managers/owners may need access to the property from time to time to meet their smoke alarm legislative obligations.

View Tenants FAQs