Heat on compulsory smoke alarms

Calls for a serious look into compulsory smoke alarms in rented accommodation is being backed by Tauranga landlords and the city's Fire Service.

The scrutiny comes after five lives were taken from three fires in the last fortnight, including the Hamilton house fire that claimed the lives of Jake Hayes, Toni Maree Johnston and Connor Swetman.


The remains of a Waihi Road rental property gutted by fire earlier this year. The home had two smoke alarms in the house but they had no batteries. Photo: Zoe Hunter.

It has been reported the Collingwood Street flat didn't have smoke alarms.

Tauranga Fire Brigade senior station officer Phil Price says there are no regulations in New Zealand to enforce compulsory smoke alarms but any steps to increase safety is positive.

He says rental accommodation is more likely to house at-risk families and occupants, which is an area where compulsory legislation would be of benefit – particularly the use of 10-year smoke alarms.

The Fire Service recommends installing long-life photoelectric type alarms, where despite the higher price of $65, the benefits are significant when used in hallways, living areas and every bedroom.

According to the Fire Service more than 3500 house fires are attended nationwide, while 80 per cent of fatal fires see smoke alarms either not installed or not working.

'With the new 10-year smoke alarm, you can't take the battery out of them,” says Phil.

'We continue to encounter houses where the batteries have been removed from the smoke alarm or the alarm hasn't been maintained and the batteries have gone flat.”

A former Tauranga landlord, who asked to remain anonymous, says she fought a losing battle with tenants who would find other uses for the batteries.

'Every property we rented out was equipped with fully operational alarms at the time of the tenants moving in,” said the landlord.

'These were checked every couple of months by ourselves and nearly each time we found the batteries had been removed - usually to provide power for a toy or something.”

Realty Service Group chief executive Ross Stanway says any 'good” landlord should already be ensuring smoke alarms are installed in all rental properties.

He adds smoke alarms should be part of a landlord's 'duty of care” for tenants just as they expect tenants to respect the property and pay rent on time.

Ross says; 'I think that there is a significant number of tenants that are family people with children and I think smoke alarms are a pretty basic requirement and a landlord's responsibility.

'I can understand the rationale for ones that can't be tampered with (10-year smoke alarms) because in some instances tenants and their guest don't respect the value of an operating smoke alarm.”

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1 comment

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Posted on 25-11-2014 13:26 | By maccachic

Id never live in a property without working smoke alarms - they are cheap - personal responsibility as no one is more motivated to protect your family than you. I have installed 10 year alarms in my rental property.


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