Tag: NSW short term rental fire safety standard

Environmental Planning And Assessment Amendment

(Smoke Alarms) Regulation 2006

On 1 May 2006, the NSW Government introduced new legislation following a series of fatal house fires, aiming to enhance fire safety in residential properties. Division 7A of the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment (Smoke Alarms) Regulation 2006 mandates the installation of photoelectric smoke alarms in all existing residential buildings where people sleep. This legislation ensures that homeowners, landlords, and tenants comply with minimum safety standards, reducing the risk of fire-related fatalities. The regulation specifies the type, placement, and maintenance requirements for smoke alarms, reinforcing the importance of early fire detection to protect lives and property across New South Wales.

The NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Smoke Alarms) Regulation 2006 says that;

– Smoke alarms must comply to Australian Standard 3786:2014 and can be powered either by a 10-year non-removeable battery, or hard wired to the mains electricity supply.

– A minimum of one working smoke alarm should be installed on each level of a dwelling (even if there are no bedrooms on that level).

NSW Interconnected Smoke Alarms – Best Practice

Note that whilst this is the minimum standard required by NSW law, Fire and Rescue NSW strongly advocates for a higher level of protection. They recommend best practice by installing interconnected photoelectric smoke detectors in all bedrooms, living areas, hallways, and stairways on every level of the home. Interconnection ensures that when one alarm detects smoke, all alarms sound simultaneously, providing earlier warning and maximising escape time. This is especially important in larger homes or properties with multiple occupants, as it enhances fire detection coverage and response time, significantly improving overall household safety and reducing the risk of fire-related tragedies.

NSW interconnected smoke detectors recommended installation – image courtesy Fire and Rescue NSW

Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019

A new section (64A) relating to smoke alarms has also been added to the NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010. This new section came into effect in March 2020 and placed extra obligations for photoelectric smoke detectors on landlords and tenants in accordance with the NSW Rental Tenancies Regulation 2019. Under these regulations, landlords are responsible for ensuring smoke detectors are installed, maintained, and in working order, while tenants must notify landlords if alarms require maintenance. The changes reinforce the importance of fire safety in rental properties, ensuring compliance with updated standards to better protect tenants from the dangers of house fires.

NSW Smoke Alarm Requirements For Landlords

  • Ensure smoke detectors are installed as per NSW Regulations.
  • Conduct an annual check to ensure all smoke detectors are functioning.
  • Repair or replace a smoke detector within 2 business days of becoming aware that the smoke detector is not working.
  • Engage an authorised electrician to repair or replace a hardwired smoke detector.
  • Replace removeable batteries in smoke detectors annually.

NSW Smoke Alarm Requirements For Tenants

  • Inform the landlord if a repair or a replacement of a smoke detector is required, including replacing a battery.
  • Only replace a battery in a battery-operated smoke detector, or a back-up battery in a hardwired smoke detector, if the smoke detector has a removable battery.
  • Give the landlord written notice, as soon as practicable if the tenant will carry out and has carried out a smoke detector repair or replacement, or engages a person to carry out a repair or replacement.

Both landlord and tenant must not remove or interfere with the operation of a smoke alarm installed on the residential premises unless they have a reasonable excuse to do so.

Direct links to the NSW Government website are posted below if you would like to read the legislative documents for yourself.

NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Smoke Alarms) Regulation 2006

NSW Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019 (current as at 03/08/2023)

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN Smoke Alarm YouTube channel or call us on 0478 596 402 today

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005

What Is A Heat Alarm And What Does It Do?

As the name suggests, heat alarms (also called heat detectors) are designed to emit a visual and audible alarm when a change is detected in the ambient room temperature. Unlike smoke alarms, which detect airborne particles, heat alarms respond to significant temperature increases, making them ideal for areas prone to dust, fumes, or cooking smoke.

Our Emerald heat alarms will activate when the temperature reaches and exceeds 55°C due to a fire, providing an early warning in garages, kitchens, and workshops. This helps prevent fire spread and enhances overall home safety, especially in high-risk areas.

Which Is Better – Smoke Alarm Or Heat Alarm?

We recommend installing heat alarms in your home to complement an existing interconnected photoelectric smoke alarm system (not as a substitute for it). The main benefit of a heat detector is that it is not susceptible to dust, cooking smoke, humidity, or other fumes, which are often the cause of nuisance alarms in conventional photoelectric smoke alarms.

For this reason, it may be beneficial to install a heat detector in kitchens (cooking smoke), garages (car exhaust fumes), laundry rooms (humidity), workshops, or attics (dust), where these external environmental conditions could trigger false alarms. By adding them to these areas, you enhance overall fire safety while maintaining reliable detection without unnecessary disruptions, ensuring a more comprehensive and tailored fire protection system for your home.

Can Heat Alarms Be Interconnected Too?

Yes, our Emerald heat detectors are designed to be interconnected with other Emerald smoke alarms, so if one sensor activates, it will automatically trigger all the other interconnected heat / smoke alarms within the same group. This ensures comprehensive fire protection by providing an early warning throughout the home or property.

The heat alarm that we sell is the fully wireless Emerald model EP-HA-RF-10. This alarm is powered by a 10-year long-life lithium battery, eliminating the need for replacements. It can be interconnected wirelessly with up to 40 Emerald alarm products, offering seamless, reliable fire safety without requiring Wi-Fi or internet connectivity.

Are Your Heat Alarms Suitable For Compliance With The NSW Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Fire Safety Standard?

Yes, our heat alarms (and photoelectric smoke alarms for that matter) are compliant with the NSW Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Fire Safety Standard. This standard applies to holiday rentals, Airbnb and other similar short term accommodation properties in NSW. Section 4.1.2 of the standard states that;

What the above passage means is that if there is a private locked garage on the same premises as the short-term rental accommodation, then a heat detector must be installed in that private garage (even if the garage is not accessible to the guest). This requirement ensures that any fire originating in the garage, such as from a vehicle, electrical fault, or stored flammable materials, will be detected early. The heat alarm in the garage must be interconnected with smoke alarms in the dwelling to provide a synchronized warning system. The interconnection can be either hardwired or wireless, allowing flexibility in installation.

Our Emerald heat alarms are fully compliant with Australian Standard 1603.3:2018 Automatic Fire Detection and Alarm Systems: Heat Alarms, and are suitable for the NSW Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) Fire Safety Standard. These alarms are designed to enhance fire safety by detecting rapid temperature increases, ensuring compliance with regulations while providing reliable protection for both property owners and guests.

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN Smoke Alarm YouTube channel or call us on 0478 596 402 today

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005