Did you know that as a landlord you need to make sure that your property meets certain safety requirements? These are outlined as per the Residential Tenancies Reforms - Regulation 13. Your property manager will help you with what is required and if you are unsure about whether your property meets regulatory requirements, it’s best to get the necessary checks done as soon as possible!
Here are a few safety related activities that you must ensure are performed -
Electrical safety
As the property owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that an electrical safety check is conducted on all electrical installations and fittings by a licensed electrician every 2 years. A check of all electrical installations, fixtures and fittings carried out in accordance with section 4 of AS/NZA 3019 “Electrical installations – Periodic verification”.
Gas safety
If your property has gas installations, then this one applies to you! You need to ensure that a gas safety check is carried out on all gas installations and fittings in your rental property every 2 years
Smoke alarm checks
All smoke alarms in your rental properties must be installed correctly and be in working condition. Smoke alarms not only protect your investment property but also protect your tenants by providing enough warning should smoke be detected. All smoke alarms need to be tested every 12 months to make sure they are still in working order. If your tenant notices that a smoke alarm is not working, they need to let you know as soon as they notice it.
Swimming pool safety barriers
If your property has a swimming pool then it’s a legal requirement to have a safety barrier around it. It’s also your responsibility to ensure that the barrier is maintained property - and if the tenant becomes aware of anything that is broken, you will need to ensure that it’s repaired as soon as possible.