Smoke alarm legislation in Victoria has been progressively tightened, and all homes must now have working smoke alarms. The regulations specify photoelectric alarms (not ionisation), and interconnection — so when one alarm activates, they all sound. Battery-powered alarms are permitted, but hard-wired alarms with battery backup are more reliable and increasingly preferred by insurers. For rental properties, smoke alarm compliance is the responsibility of the landlord — and non-compliance can void your insurance. We provide written documentation of the installation and alarm specifications for your records.
What current Victorian regulations require
Every home must have at least one working smoke alarm on each storey, in every bedroom, and in any hallway connecting bedrooms to living areas. The alarms must be photoelectric (not ionisation, which the Victorian government phased out due to slower response to smouldering fires). New builds and major renovations must have hard-wired interconnected alarms; existing homes can use 10-year sealed battery alarms but interconnection is strongly recommended.
Installation and replacement
For new installations we run cabling between alarm positions during rough-in (or through ceiling voids in existing homes), wire each alarm to a dedicated 240V circuit with battery backup, and test interconnection by triggering one alarm to confirm all others respond. For existing alarms, we check manufacture dates — anything over 10 years old has a degraded sensor and must be replaced.
Compliance for landlords
Rental properties carry the same smoke alarm obligations as owner-occupied homes — but enforcement is sharper. Non-compliance can void building insurance and creates liability if a fire occurs. We provide written certification suitable for property management records and building permits, and align cycles with the 2-yearly rental electrical safety check where it makes sense.
