Smoke Alarm compliance for QLD in 2022

Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone can recommend me someone to get 10+ houses done in Queensland to meet the 2022 regulations. I want to start now rather than leaving it towards the end of the year.

I'm looking at getting all the houses to get wireless interconnected alarms much easier to install and they don't have to run the cabling. I've been quoted anywhere between $75-$100 per alarm.

If anyone has done their houses and have had good experience with anyone please let me know. I'll give them the contract for all the houses I own up there.

Cheers

 

Thanks I'll reach out to them tomorrow to see how much they will charge per alarm.

Anyone else got any recommendations? The houses are scattered across Brisbane so ideally I want someone that can go northside, southside and anywhere in the middle.

 

@Sue from Red

 

After discussion with many ppl over the last week or so I still think there is some confusion on the 2022 fire alarm requirements for landlords.

I just want to put it EXPLICITLY out there. It is NOT a hard deadline. As below snippet from the QLD Gov PDF file. PDF is also attached



"From this date, the new legislative requirements apply when a new lease for a dwelling starts, or an existing lease is renewed."

So if I have signed today a 2 year lease with an existing tenant the next lease renewal will be in 2023. THAT is when you must meet these obligations.

 

we use these guys https://propertycompliance.com.au/ rough idea of pricing below,

we are about 50% compliant with the 2022 changes but it helped that last year we ran a new management special where we paid for the upgrade if you switched to us. . I would get in early it's going to be a mad rush at the end. and a lot of companies I have spoken to in the past 6 months have advised they will struggle to meet demand. hope the below helps

 

I have had some confusion about this.

Our own home in QLD is currently rented, while we are temporarily living elsewhere for work. There is a longer lease on the property expiring June 2022. We are due to move into the home at the end of the current lease.

A couple of months ago I sent a note to my property manager and referred her to the QFES information indicating that from January 1 2022 the new legislative requirements apply when a new lease for a dwelling starts, or an existing lease is renewed. I indicated that it sounded like in our situation an upgrade to the existing smoke alarm system did not need to occur before January 1 2022. If the current lease is renewed or a new one established the upgrade would need to occur before June 2022. If we move back into the home we have until 1 January 2027 to become compliant or when the property is sold, whichever comes first.

She responded that all rental properties in QLD must be compliant before January 1 2022. If not, the current tenants would need to be relocated.

I also note that the propertycompliance website linked above has this information:

"Don’t Forget!
If you are not compliant by 1 January 2022, you will not be legally allowed to rent your property. You will be forced to lose any current tenants and cover the costs to find new ones."

Is there something I am missing? Where does this idea of needing to relocate current tenants under a lease come from? I can't find anything official indicating this.

 

There should be ZERO mad rush. Read the regulations properly. Jan 1 2022 is NOT a hard set deadline. Its only the start date of when a new lease gets signed or an existing lease gets signed that you must upgrade.

So if you resign a lease in Oct this year - your smoke alarms upgrades are NOT due in Jan 2022. They are due when the lease expires which will be Oct 2022. I have just signed multiple properties for 24 month leases so that means well into 2023.

Property managers are telling the wrong advice to investors. ALOT of mis-information out there.

 

100000000000000000% false. You should tell your agent to educate themselves before sending out misinformation.

 

100% agree there is a lot of contradicting info out there at the moment. in Brisbane January February is the peak rental period and when a good portion of rental properties have their leases finishing the above company was offering 25% off if you act now with a free 12 month of service. its down to 15% and dropping + a number of specials out there to help with getting compliant.

 

Smoke alarm laws – what you need to know in Queensland | Residential Tenancies Authority

check out this link from the RTA check the 16 Min mark for what they are saying about time frames and penalties. hope this helps

 

So what does it say? I have just sent all my Real Estate agents emails now to confirm their understanding and to get confirmation from Queensland Fire and Government explicitly in Writing.

The PDF I have attached is very clear and that is from the Queensland Fire Service official documentation.

What are you telling your investors?

 

Thank you for the link Russell. I can see why there is confusion!

I took a screen shot while watching the video. The slide presentation indicates that the legislation comes into affect FROM January 1 2022 as an existing lease is renewed or new lease signed. Meanwhile the bold text below appears to be contradictory - “BY 1 January 2022, all rental properties in QLD must be compliant”.

I contacted QFES directly and they have confirmed that in my instance the requirement to be compliant occurs in June 2022 if the existing lease is renewed or a new lease signed at that point.

 

Snip it from the RTA, we are getting quotes for all properties and recommending them to take the 25% discount and 12 months free service saving another $129 saving, and to get it done now. either way, it needs to be actioned and it's better to get it done and take the discount than to wait. I cant see the prices going down. there is nothing I can find to say that you cant collect rent until it's done. just cant resign the lease or sell. (but there is so much contradicting info out there. our goal is to have them all compliant by 2022)

 

I just got off the phone to RTA. There seems to be an issue on their website that you linked.

They have advised me to follow QFES guidelines as they are the governing body for smoke alarm regulations in QLD. They are escalating this to have their website updated I believe now.

If you are unsure please call QFES. Their documentation is what needs to be followed. Or call the RTA to confirm what I have just written here.

Its causing so much confusion and misunderstanding its not even funny.

So in essence I believe what I have written is 100% correct. Its NOT a hard deadline. Only when the lease comes up for renewal its required to be addressed then.

 

Note: I have just received confirmation from some of my agents that my rhetoric is 100% correct. Agents are just pushing for Jan 2022 because they dont want to handle 100s of leases with different end dates to ensure fire compliance.

I would think RTA is scrambling now to update their incorrect information on their website. And I've told them to remove that video as well. Those ladies are talking incorrect stuff.

All landlords PLEASE READ carefully. It is NOT a hard date there is no risk of losing rent or anything and about a tenant not being able to stay there etc....just make sure your agent is not telling you bullocks.

 

So whos had this discussion with their property manager?

I've just received numerous confirmations from various real estate agents this is indeed correct. I cant believe so much mis-information has been sent out to landlords about this imaginary hard set date of Jan 2022.

Some agents even have the guts to say that if its not done the tennant will need to get relocated etc......what absolute rubbish.

 

So your IP has a fire and someone dies and you say you didnt need to comply because it wasn't required until xyz ....

mmm

They've been offering discounts for a while . There's any going to be a rush .

We've done our 10 + a while ago .

Cliff