Property 101: Guide to smoke alarm maintenance for Tasmanian renters

 Tenants must make sure that batteries for removable battery alarms are replaced if the batteries:

• have not been replaced in 12 months or more since the lease started;
• no longer work properly or at all; or
• have reached their expiry date, more than 30 days after the lease started.

Owners must ensure all smoke alarms are mains powered or have 10 year non-removable batteries by May 2016.

Mains powered smoke alarms and 10 year non-removable battery alarms

Tenants are not responsible for the replacement of batteries providing back-up for mains powered smoke alarms or in 10 year non-removable battery alarms.

Maintenance and testing of smoke alarms

During the period of a lease agreement, tenants are required every six months to:

• test all smoke alarms installed at the premises; and
• remove all dust and debris from the smoke alarms.

Failure or malfunction of a smoke alarm

If a smoke alarm fails or malfunctions, for reasons other than the failure of removable batteries or the mains power supply, a tenant must notify the owner as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the failure or malfunction.

For more information, click here.