Residential service provider for room accomodation

Hello everyone,

I am new here and thanks for your time for reading this.

We have 3 properties in QLD and are renting out individual bedrooms as share accommodation. One house is a five bedroom house and the other 2 are 3 bedroom houses.
Recently, we got the letter from Department of Housing requesting us to be registered and accredited as a residential service provider because we are operating a residential service across multiple premises. We have 1 month to complete the application. Then we need to apply for the accreditation. The Department responsible came to one of our houses without notice, identified themselves and requested our tenants to let them in. The tenants informed us immediately but they already took pictures inside the house and said we need to update the to hardwired smoke alarms and emergency lights. Due to the recent change of the fire registration, we have to hardwire and interconnect each smoke alarm and install the emergency light for each house. It will be around $1200 to 2000 per house, depending on the size and rooms.
Before anyone comments on the effectiveness of hardwired smoke alarms, a point to make is we were always going to fit hardwired alarms but as most investment property owners have 5 years to do so we would have done so over time while still maintaining the battery type.
The question is
1. As we consider it is a private property, we questioned about the surprise inspection and they said they have the authority to do it. Does anyone have an experience with their rooming accommodation that the DH staff will come to your house without notice?
2. There are lots of people running share accommodation across multiple premises, I was just wondering if there is anyone who has completed the application and what is the advantage of being an accredited residential service provider.
3. Is anyone else aware that 4 or more rooms rented out individually become classified as a residential service provider?

Thanks again for your time.
Regards,
Linda

 

1. Yes but from the local council or the state consumer protection authorities, not the "Department of Housing", which is usually just a public housing provider for the state, and not the authority looking after planning, building or tenancy law compliance.

2. Most of them are illegal in some way. Presumably this takes to one step closer to compliance - although I have to wonder if you still need planning approval or something like that.

3. Yes most states and councils have specific laws about this.

 

Thanks for your reply thatbum.

We are actually not interested in applying at all but we got told that we are breaching the law and we are required to do it. We think the DH in QLD having this

Targeted investigation into illegal boarding houses and rooming accommodation

Targeted investigation into illegal boarding houses and rooming accommodation | Department of Housing and Public Works.

 

You should probably start doing some serious research into what you may or may not be required to do, rather than necessarily going along with what the department are saying.

This might also include some legal advice as well.

 

Thanks for your advice thatbum.
As I don't know a lot in this field, it would be much appreciate if you can give me some direction where I can get some research.