FAQs

A beeping smoke alarm doesn’t always mean the battery is low! Sometimes the unit can be faulty, or there could be bugs/insects interfering with the sensor.

CCSAS takes a wholistic approach to smoke alarms going off (when there is no fire) by

1. Maintaining them yearly so they are less likely to go off
2. Cleaning them yearly to ensure they are in their best working order
3. Using the best parts & batteries
4. Comprehensive testing including artificial smoke
5. Changing the battery every time we visit
6. Ensuring the placement of the alarm isn’t near kitchens, laundries or bathrooms where possible so the steam doesn’t set off the alarms

You can also press the “hush button” to silence the alarm while you contact us to come out & assess.

Please always contact [email protected] or 0401 050 461 for the quickest & most efficient response

• This process is very time consuming when landlords self-manage the smoke alarms. When a tenant reports faulty alarms, they must be actioned within 2 days, this is the law & this law was passed in March 2020.
• When on Annual Smoke Alarm Compliance, your Agent can send a work order to Central Coast Smoke Alarms without even contacting you, and it is dealt with free of charge in the correct time frames, without the added time of calling you, and passing on tenant details for you to organise with your individual contractors.
• The legislation also states faults and annual testing must be done by a qualified person (eg not a landlord or Property Manager). If a Landlord would like to self-manage the smoke alarms, your Managing Agent must go through a process with each landlord to ensure that they are managing the smoke alarms by qualified individuals.
• The Compliance Certification obtained through Annual Smoke Alarm Compliance is the paperwork your Agent requires to be filled in the Residential Tenancy Agreement, and to have on file to show that the property is compliant.
• The smoke alarms need to be serviced yearly. For $75/year there is the peace of mind for tenants, landlords and our own responsibilities as Managing Agents that no property falls through the cracks where we are following up individually with landlords, and tracking when the annual service is due & in many cases

• It’s not as simple as pressing the button to ensure that the alarm will go off. This is what NSW Fair Trading expects:
  • • Must service smoke alarms annually, and ensure that the smoke alarms are functioning
    • Must replace alarms within their 10-year expiry
    • Must install or replace, (or engage a person to install or replace), all removable batteries in all smoke alarms annually
    • A landlord who becomes aware that a smoke alarm is not working must, within 2 business days repair or replace the smoke alarm, or (b) cause the smoke alarm to be repaired or replaced
    • Must reimburse the tenant for the costs of a repair or replacement of a smoke alarm
      in accordance with clause 18 of the Residential Tenancies Regulation 2019
    • Must provide a condition report to the Agency relative to smoke alarms and batteries for the inclusion in the tenancy agreement before the tenant moves in.

It is important to note that a fine of 20 penalty units ($2200) for failing to meet the requirements for smoke alarms can be imposed on the landlord.