Managing smoke alarm compliance - Victoria - Agency managed owners

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Smoke alarm compliance

As a rental provider, you are responsible for ensuring smoke alarm compliance at your rental property. This document provides key information to help you make informed decisions about meeting your smoke alarm obligations.

Compliance management options

From 25 November 2025, under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC) s68AA, all rental properties must have annual smoke alarm safety checks, regardless of whether a residential rental agreement for the premises was entered into before, on, or after 29 March 2021. In addition to these checks, smoke alarms must undergo annual servicing, including testing, battery replacement, and positioning checks. All smoke alarms must comply with Australian Standard AS 3786 and the Building Code of Australia.

1Engage a specialist

Detector Inspector works with your agent to ensure all of your smoke alarm obligations have been met and issues raised by renters are taken care of.

$99 ex.GST ever year

Fixed fee service

No nasty surprises in your annual bill. Price includes replacement of faulty or expired alarms and callouts for beeping alarms.

Detailed Service reports

Have full visibility of every step of the service process and be legally protected in case of an audit.

Compliance solutions

You have the option of requesting smoke alarm, gas and electrical safety checks as individual services or a bundled offer, the Safer Home plan.

The emergency support team is available 7 days a week until 10pm to assist. The Urgent Jobs Framework ensures your renters are protected. Urgent Jobs Framework

2

Self-managed compliance

For rental providers who don’t wish to invest $99 for a specialist, self-managed compliance may be an option, though it does come with some risks.

Cost Risk

Time, immediately arrange the repair/ replacement of non-working smoke alarms and batteries as an urgent repair when notified by the renter

Liability

The obligation to ensure mandatory checks are carried out (once every 12 months) appropriately and the reports compiled and made available to the agency falls on you.

Reporting

Rental providers must ensure all requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act (Vic) are met.

The renter can authorise and pay for an urgent repair of up to $2,500. The rental provider must pay them back within seven days

Hardware

To complete a smoke alarm check effectively, rental providers should acquire specialist tools such as smoke in a can, decibel reader and compressed air.

Faults

To repair or replace a faulty hardwired alarm, the rental provider must engage an authorised electrician which could incur a callout fee.

In Victoria, properties built after 1 May 2014, must have interconnected smoke alarms where more than one is present. Learn more here. Multiple alarms?

Engage a specialistDetector Inspector advantage

Detector Inspector’s smoke alarm safety service provides peace of mind that all smoke alarms at a property are operating correctly and the property is safe and compliant. Your benefits:

• Access to Australia’s largest team of residential safety & compliance specialists

• $99 ex.GST fixed-fee smoke alarm service consisting of replacement of faulty or expired smoke alarms & batteries and free callouts for fault rectification and more

• Urgent Jobs Framework for emergencies

• After-hours renter support for beeping or sounding alarms, our dedicated renter support line is available 7 days per week, until 10PM

• Digitally recorded, time/date and geo-located photos of each smoke alarm to provide enduring peace of mind

• A Service Report that details the property’s compliance with all applicable smoke alarm legislation

Did you know?

Dirt and insects are very common reasons for smoke detectors going off inappropriately. Physical obstructions can interact with the sensor and cause your smoke alarm to activate. Click here to find out other reasons that could set off an alarm and tips for prevention.

Self-managed complianceDoes my strata cover me?

Some rental providers assume that their strata company will ensure compliance with their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act (Vic). Strata companies do conduct Annual Fire Safety checks on properties but they are not required to adhere to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), they follow a different set of standards and regulations.

Detector Inspector managed

✓ Our comprehensive annual smoke alarm safety service ensures that each property is compliant with the smoke alarm legislation applicable in its state

Strata managed

✕ In most cases, strata checks only test a sample of units annually, so not all properties receive a complete inspection (if they test internal smoke alarms at all)

✓ Our annual safety check on each alarm includes smoke, button and decibel tests and positioning compliance check to provide peace of mind that all alarms at a property are operating correctly and the property is safe and compliant

✕ For those alarms which are inspected, they may not be comprehensively tested and include checks for smoke alarm quality, quantity, positioning, expiry dates or have the required battery change included

✓ We’ve got service team members that can be redirected to your property when the need arises. Our Urgent Jobs Framework provides ease of issue reporting and clear and rapid response times

✕ It is unlikely a strata company will attend a property to fix faulty alarms within two business days of being notified as stipulated by RTA, nor will they provide call outs for a fixed fee

✓ Our services have been meticulously designed to meet the requirements of the RTA. Servicing is carried out by specially trained technicians using our advanced technology to ensure the regulations applicable in the state are applied and the property’s compliance is assured

✕ To ensure your obligations under the RTA are met, written confirmation from the Owners Corporation is required stating that they take full responsibility for your internal smoke alarms and that they do conduct an annual check and battery change each and every year

Recommended tools for testing and maintaining smoke alarms

The challenge of managing smoke alarm compliance is much greater than just pushing the test button. Here is a list of key items our qualified smoke alarm technicians carry when they visit a property to perform a smoke alarm safety check.

Smoke in a can

To test the function of the optical sensor in the alarm.

Decibel reader

To measure the sound output of the alarm (no less than 85 decibels (dBA).

Ladder

To access the smoke alarms to perform the required safety checks.

Replacement batteries

To replace 9v batteries in all batterypowered smoke alarms.

Replacement alarms

To replace faulty or expired smoke alarms.

Handheld vacuum

To remove any insects or obstructions from the optical chamber.

Safer Home plans

Our Safer Home plans offer ongoing compliance and urgent repair assistance for your property’s smoke alarm, electrical and gas services in one, simple and costeffective bundle.

Only the Safer Home plans include:

• Access to Australia’s largest team of residential safety & compliance specialists

• Extensive customer support for you through phone, email and chat

• Discounted, bundled pricing

• Lower up-front cost and split-payments

• Free callouts for issues with checked items

• Free replacement of items such as standard light switches, power points, safety switches and smoke alarms

• Free complimentary coverage period if you’ve had all the required checks done prior to enrolment

• Urgent Jobs Framework for emergencies

Smoke alarm safety

• A safety check on each alarm, including button and decibel tests and positioning compliance check

• Installation or replacement of faulty or expired smoke alarms required for compliance (with exclusions)

• Free replacement of smoke alarm batteries

Learn more

Gas safety

• A pressure retention test on the main gas line and a range of safety & compliance checks on all gas installations

• A full servicing of each mains connected gas appliance

• A range of safety tests for carbon monoxide leaks, appliance operating pressures and flame abnormality

Learn more

Electrical safety

• A comprehensive test of the switchboard and every accessible power point

• Electrical safety testing of all installed electrical appliances

• Use of specialised equipment to complete earth continuity, voltage and polarity tests as required

Learn more

Corded blind add-on service

• A safety check on all blinds, window coverings and fittings to ensure they are correctly secured and labelled

• Free replacement or installation of missing or damaged cleats, cord guides, warning labels and swing tags (with exclusions)

• Cord shortening service for beaded metal chains

Learn more

Our services

Our services have been meticulously designed to meet the requirements of the RTA, as set out by Energy Safe Victoria and the Victorian Building Authority.

We have consulted extensively with both bodies to refine our approach to some of the more complex elements of the safety checks, and our input has contributed to the industry’s approach in many cases.

Did you know?

From 1 December 2025, all residential rental properties must comply with new mandatory minimum standards for internal corded window coverings, requiring anchors to be installed to ensure cords are properly secured or tensioned, eliminating loose cord loops to protect renters. These standards apply to all blinds, regardless of installation date. Learn more about the new safety standards here.

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Managing smoke alarm compliance - Victoria - Agency managed owners by Detector Inspector - Issuu