To be read in conjunction with the ACT Residential Tenancies Act 1997, ACT Residential Tenancies Regulation 1998, ACT Building Act 2004, and ACT Building (General) Regulation 2008.
The New Standard
Smoke alarms must comply with the Australian Standard AS3786. The current standard is the AS3786:2014 standard.
A lessor must not enter into a residential tenancy agreement unless smoke alarms are installed per these requirements:
On any storey that has a bedroom (or another room used as a sleeping area), a smoke alarm must be installed in every hallway associated with a bedroom, and if there’s no hallway or corridor then between the part/s of the home containing the bedroom or sleeping area and the rest of the premises.
On all storeys that don’t contain a bedroom at the most likely exit point from that storey.
e.g. if the lower level of a two storey home has no bedrooms a smoke alarm should be located between the nearest exit door and the stairwell.
All high set homes with an enclosed room under the house must have a smoke alarm installed in that room.
Property managers and principals have obligations to ensure smoke alarms are both installed and property maintained under the Residential Tenancies Act.
