Summary
- All rental providers are responsible for ensuring properties are fitted with smoke alarms.
- All rental agreements after 25 November 2025 include more responsibilities, such as annual smoke alarm testing, battery replacement and urgent repair.
- Smoke alarms must be repaired or replaced as an urgent repair if they aren't working or faulty.
- Water tanks for firefighting purposes must be maintained by the rental provider in Bushfire Prone Areas.
Smoke alarms and the law
As a rental provider, you must ensure your rental properties are appropriately fitted with smoke alarms and that they are well maintained.
By law, at least one smoke alarm must be installed on each level of a property, between each sleeping area and the rest of the house. It's likely your rental property will require more than one smoke alarm.
See Consumer Affairs Victoria for more information.
Rental provider responsibilities
For all rental agreements entered into after 25 November 2025, renter and rental provider responsibilities for smoke alarm safety are included as terms in all residential rental agreements. These responsibilities include the following:
1. Smoke alarm installation
You must ensure smoke alarms are correctly installed in the right locations and in working order.
2. Smoke alarm testing
Smoke alarms must be tested according to the manufacturer’s instructions at least once every 12 months.
3. Battery replacement
You must arrange for replaceable batteries in smoke alarms (including hard wired smoke alarms) to be replaced when required.
4. Urgent repair and replacement of smoke alarms
Smoke alarms must be repaired or replaced as an urgent repair if they aren't working or faulty.
If you can't be contacted or if you don't immediately fix the smoke alarm, renters can authorise and pay for an urgent repair of up to $2,500. They must be paid back within 7 days.
5. Provide information to renters
On or before the start of a rental agreement, a rental provider must give a renter written information about:
- how each smoke alarm in the rented premises operates
- how to test each smoke alarm in the rented premises
- the renter's obligations to not tamper with any smoke alarms and to report if a smoke alarm in the rented premises is not in working order.
Rooming houses
If you operate a rooming house, you must install hardwired smoke alarms.
Rooming house operators must comply with the National Construction Code regulations for rooming houses, Residential Tenancies (Rooming House Standards) Regulations 2023, and gas and electrical safety obligations.
Renter responsibilities
Renters also have responsibilities when it comes to smoke alarm safety. They must:
1. Notify rental provider if a smoke alarm isn't working
Renters must notify the rental provider or rooming house operator if a smoke alarm is faulty or not working.
If a smoke alarm isn't working, it is considered an urgent repair. The rental provider must immediately arrange for the smoke alarm to be repaired or replaced.
2. Not deactivate or remove smoke alarms
Renters must not disconnect or remove a smoke alarm, or interfere with its operation in any way.
If a renter or their visitor does this, it is a breach of duty and you may issue the renter a Notice of Breach of Duty.
Gas and electrical safety
Gas and electrical systems must be maintained by the rental provider.
As a rental provider, you need to make sure gas and electrical systems and appliances are regularly checked and maintained. You also need to make sure that gas appliances are working safely. Unsafe gas or electrical appliances can quickly become a fire hazard.
Urgent repairs
According to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, rental providers or rooming house operators must respond immediately if there is a:
- gas leak
- dangerous electrical fault
- failure or breakdown of a supplied appliance for hot water, water, cooking, heating or laundry
- failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply.
Renters must notify you if they become aware of the need for an urgent repair.
If you can't be contacted or don't respond immediately, renters can arrange and pay for an urgent repair of up to $2,500. You must pay the renter back within 7 days.
It is important that these matters are dealt with promptly because they can result in death, serious injury or considerable property damage.
Water tanks in bushfire prone areas
Under the Residential Tenancies Act, if a rental property is in Bushfire Prone Area and a water tank is required for firefighting, the maintenance of the water tank and its fittings is the responsibility of the rental provider.
For more information on the responsibilities of renters, rental providers and rooming house operators, visit Consumer Affairs Victoria or refer to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
Page last updated: Monday, 7 September 2026 7:32:31 PM