Smoke alarm legislation in Victoria has been progressively tightened, and all homes must now have working smoke alarms. New installations are photoelectric rather than ionisation, and interconnection (when one alarm activates, they all sound) is required in new builds and major renovations. Battery-powered alarms are permitted in existing homes, but hard-wired alarms with battery backup are more reliable and are often preferred by insurers. For rental properties, smoke alarm compliance is the landlord's responsibility, and non-compliance can put insurance cover at risk. We provide written documentation of the installation and alarm specifications for your records.
What current Victorian regulations require
Every home must have working smoke alarms on each storey and in the hallways connecting bedrooms to living areas, compliant with AS 3786. New builds and major renovations must have hard-wired interconnected alarms under the NCC and the Victorian Building Regulations, with the mains circuit installed to AS/NZS 3000. Existing homes can use 10-year sealed battery alarms, but interconnection is strongly recommended and hard-wiring is the better option wherever cabling access allows.
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 should be replaced.
Compliance for landlords
Rental properties carry the same smoke alarm obligations as owner-occupied homes, but enforcement is sharper. Non-compliance creates liability if a fire occurs and can affect insurance cover. We provide written certification suitable for property management records and building permits, and align the annual alarm check with the 2-yearly rental electrical safety check where it makes sense.
