Healthy Homes NZ now service and install smoke alarms, and this month they explain what you need to know about smoke alarm servicing and installation. From July 1, 2016, changes to the Residential Tenancies Act – aimed at making New Zealand homes warmer, drier, and safer – came into effect, and it’s in this legislation that working smoke alarms were made compulsory in all residential rental homes.
Three years on, on July 1, 2019, the healthy homes standards were added, introducing specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties that must be met by July 2021.
Healthy Homes NZ understand the challenging landscape of residential tenancy management, and that staying on top of your obligations as a property manager or landlord is top priority.
Smoke alarms must be installed within three metres of every bedroom door, or every room where a person sleeps, on each level or storey of multi-level or multi-storey properties, and in all rental homes, boarding houses, rental caravans, and self-contained sleep-outs. Existing smoke alarms (that have not yet expired) do not need to be replaced, but all new smoke alarms must be photoelectrical, have a long-life battery of at least eight years, be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and meet international standards.
You can purchase these smoke alarms through Healthy Homes NZ’s online store, and failure to comply with these regulations is an unlawful act and could result in a penalty up to $4000. There are financial penalties for tenants too – if they don’t meet their obligations.
When it comes to maintaining smoke alarms, both landlords and tenants have obligations. Landlords must ensure smoke alarms are working at the start of each new tenancy, and check smoke alarms are working regularly during the tenancy. Tenants must ensure smoke alarms are not damaged, removed, or disconnected, replace dead batteries in older-style smoke alarms designed with replaceable batteries, and let their landlord know if there are any issues as soon as possible.
For property managers and landlords with multiple properties and tenancies, keeping track of working smoke alarms is a legal requirement – but it’s also another task to add to an already extensive list of rental maintenance jobs.
Healthy Homes NZ new smoke alarms service will regularly test your smoke alarms are working (at least once a year) plus unlimited visits to fix faults or when there is a tenant change, and will clean all smoke alarms when testing them, and for more information on installing smoke alarms NZ, home maintenance Christchurch and property maintenance Hamilton please go to https://www.healthyhomesnz.co.nz .
