Top 3 reasons for a Smoke Alarm Compliance plan
Going into 2016 we have a renewed sense of URGENCY to get 100% of Central Coast properties Smoke Alarm Compliant. First of all, the last quarter of 2015 saw loss of life, property & the aftermath of dealing with fires in residential areas.
There was DOUBLE the loss of life as a result of house fires from 11 deaths in 2014 to over 21 lost in 2015. Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins said it was “alarming that many of the homes did not have working smoke alarms”.
A poignant quote from a fire in NSW’s Holgate:
A man is lucky to be alive, after his Central Coast home went up in flames overnight.
The 63 year was asleep when the fire took hold – crediting a smoke alarm and his neighbours with saving his life.– October 31st, 2015
What reasons do Real Estates & their Landlords have to have a Smoke Alarm Compliance plan in place?
COMPLIANCE
Annual compliance testing, service & maintenance of smoke alarms is a legal requirement & you will be fined for non-compliance.
As the legal representative of landlords who, under lease terms, have responsibility for smoke alarms, agents could find themselves challenged in a court if failure to provide or maintain alarms was found to be a contributing factor in a case of loss of life or property.
INSURANCE
Insurance companies may not cover damages caused by fire without documentation of inspections & maintenance.
Did you know that your Insurance may not cover damages to your property, contents or injury/death of your tenants if Smoke Alarms are not correctly fitted within the property?
QUESTION: Do you have records showing compliance of Smoke Alarms in your property, remembering that a Push Test conducted during quarterly inspections is not enough to cover you?
TAKE ACTION NOW: Review your Insurance policy, are you covered if Smoke Alarms are not fitted?
“Insurers could also use the presence of a smoke alarm – and whether it is battery-operated or hard-wired – as a factor in setting premiums.”
“”An insurance company could refuse insurance cover if there was not an alarm.”
Shoshana Lenthen, Sydney Morning Herald article “No alarm, no cover: insurance warning”
Does YOUR Insurer have a “No Smoke Alarm – No Cover” clause?
SAFETY
Most important of all, having your smoke alarms serviced & maintained – SAVES LIVES.
It can often be a large, unnecessary risk for property managers to take on the responsibility of smoke alarm maintenance personally (or as a company). It’s well documented that Smoke Alarms save lives – why take the risk?