Are you considering selling a property in Queensland? You need to know about smoke alarm compliance and avoid the risk of being penalised when completing the Contract of Sale.
Effective from 1st January 2022, Queensland implemented new laws under the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990, which place additional responsibilities on property sellers. Here’s what you should know:
- To meet compliance and legislation standards, interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms must be installed on every level of the property, including all bedrooms and interconnecting hallways adjacent to the bedrooms.
- If the smoke alarms are already hardwired, they should remain connected to the mains power supply and replaced with a hardwired Smoke Alarm. Otherwise, they can be replaced by a wireless interconnected non-removable 10-year lithium battery smoke alarm.
- The smoke alarms must adhere to Australian Standard 3786:2014, be less than 10 years old, and pass functional tests.
Smoke Alarm Disclosure Requirements
QLD residential property sellers are required by law to disclose information relating to smoke alarms before signing the sale contract.
The REIQ sale contract in QLD requires the seller to certify that the property contains smoke alarms that meet regulatory standards.
Any failure to install compliant smoke alarms may be an offence under QLD law, and fines may apply for non-compliance. The sale contract also specifies that the seller cannot waive this obligation.
If compliant smoke alarms are not installed, the purchaser may be entitled to an adjustment of 0.15% on the agreed purchase price in their favour.
Also, when a property is sold, the seller needs to lodge a Form 24 with Titles Queensland. That form includes a section in which the seller must certify if compliant smoke alarms have been installed, and if this has been disclosed to the buyer.
How to comply – Do I need a smoke alarm compliance certificate?
There is some useful information on the REIQ Website to help you understand the requirements, including the below fact sheet:
The seller does not need to provide a certificate to confirm the smoke alarms are compliant. The seller only needs to tick yes or no to the relevant box in the schedule of the contract.
If you have any questions about smoke alarm compliance when selling your home, please get in touch on Facebook or our contact us form.
We have a range of compliant smoke alarms and would be pleased to assist you finding an affordable solution to your smoke alarm needs.
