Smoke alarms are compulsory in every home under Victorian law. You can buy a compliant smoke alarm at most electrical appliance or hardware stores.
If you own, rent, are building or are renovating a home, you must follow these smoke alarm requirements.
Where to place smoke alarms
In a home, smoke alarms must be installed:
- outside each sleeping area to wake sleeping occupants
- on each storey in a multi-level home, located in the path that people will use to evacuate
- on the ceiling at least 30cm from the wall. If a smoke alarm cannot be installed on the ceiling, it can be placed on a wall as long as it is located between 30cm and no more than 50cm from the ceiling.
Australian fire services recommend smoke alarms also be installed in all living areas, hallways and bedrooms.
Responsibilities
Landlord responsibilities
By law, if you are a landlord you must make sure that smoke alarms:
- Are correctly installed and in working order.
- Are tested according to the manufacturer's instructions at least once every 12 months.
- Have their batteries replaced as required.
- Are repaired or replaced as an urgent repair.
/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.
