Smoke Alarms In Rentals - First Fine Issued

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Wheelbarrow01

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Chorus

#201749 1-Sep-2016 15:43

The following excerpt was taken from the monthly newsletter sent out today by my property manager.

I can't emphasize how pleased I am that the powers-that-be are actively enforcing the new law....

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

1eStar

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#1620934 1-Sep-2016 15:49

It was probably in the kitchen, or right outside the shower door.

mattwnz

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#1620935 1-Sep-2016 15:51

They should be required to install those 10 year ones, where you can't remove the batteries, and make them secure by screwing them with security screws to the framing so they can't be removed.

In his case, they could possibly argue that it wasn't installed in the right place, as they shouldn't keep going off from normal house hold use. So wonder if they will dispute it.

MikeAqua

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#1620938 1-Sep-2016 15:56

mattwnz:

They should be required to install those 10 year ones, where you can't remove the batteries, and make them secure by screwing them with security screws to the framing so they can't be removed.

Exactly what I have in my rental - Cavius alarms. About three years old now.

Mike

Seakiwi

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#1620939 1-Sep-2016 15:58

Nice try mattwnz, but, if the tenant wanted it in a different place and could remove it, as they obviously did, then they could easily have reinstalled it in a "better" location.

Still the tenants issue.

mattwnz

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#1620948 1-Sep-2016 16:27

Seakiwi:

Nice try mattwnz, but, if the tenant wanted it in a different place and could remove it, as they obviously did, then they could easily have reinstalled it in a "better" location.

Still the tenants issue.

Would they be allowed to screw it into another wall? Guess it depends on their agreement with the landlord, as to what they can do to the building. But I would have thought that the actual location of the devices should be fixed by the landlord, and they can't be moved, because if they are moved to a different location, then they maybe less effective or not effective at all. With new home builds, the location of the smoke alarms must be approved by the council. So would have thought that the landlord must submit the positioning of the smoke alarms to whoever is regulating it.

Seakiwi

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#1620951 1-Sep-2016 16:33

That's all moot mattwnz, they weren't allowed to tamper with it so saying after tampering with it they they couldn't put it back somewhere because they weren't allowed to is just, well, silly really!

Can't get away from this being entirely on the tenant as the tribunal found.

Jase2985

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#1620968 1-Sep-2016 16:49

im sure the land lord would have been reasonable if it had have been going off and they asked to move it

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SATTV

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#1621013 1-Sep-2016 19:14

I used to do an inspection every 6 months and take batteries with me. ( the property manager did the others )

Most of the time the battery had been removed - reason Kid wanted battery for a toy.

One time I found 2 AA batteries in there instead of a 9V.

In those days there were not the sealed 10 yea types like today.

I dont have rentals any more but I am very happy to see that article.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

alasta

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#1621058 1-Sep-2016 21:16

SATTV:

I used to do an inspection every 6 months and take batteries with me. ( the property manager did the others )

Most of the time the battery had been removed - reason Kid wanted battery for a toy.

I'd like to say that I'm surprised that anyone would be that stupid, but to be completely honest I'm not.

When I moved into my place I discovered that one of the previous tenants had stuck a paperclip in one of the fuses to replace fuse wire. I strongly recommend that everyone check all fuses when moving into a new place.

tripper1000

1617 posts

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#1621105 2-Sep-2016 00:01

Great to see that the law lays out some common sense obligations for both parties and it isn't a one-way street.

Every time my tenants moved out, the smoke alarms were missing (also TV aerials).

I agree, it is odd that some people need laws to make them take care of them selves.

bfginger

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#1647947 9-Oct-2016 12:38

1eStar: It was probably in the kitchen, or right outside the shower door.

A good working smoke alarm can't be anywhere near a cooking area without going off if the house doesn't have a rangehood and half of the houses in New Zealand don't have one. They should be mandatory in rentals as dampness from cooking steam is a health hazard.

But many newer smoke alarms are amazingly insensitive probably for the reasons you said.