BECOME ALARMED BY SMOKE ALARMS
Smoke alarms have no doubt proven to save lives, however we find as property managers that property owners often put cost above the protection and safety of their tenants.
Too many times we see on the news stories of properties burning to the ground, and a fire spokesperson saying the occupant(s) perished because; they didn’t have a working smoke alarm, the batteries had been removed, the smoke alarm was placed in the wrong position in the house or even worse, no smoke alarms were installed at all! Too many times we also find out this occurred in a rental property.
We urge landlords to consider that the tenants’ life is directly benefited by such a device so we must ensure that not only is the best type of alarm installed, but that it is also correctly placed inside the property.
Hard-wired smoke alarms are no doubt the best type of alarm. This article isn’t about informing you of the different technologies available, but that we must have hard-wired alarms fitted and also have them checked by a tradesperson who is qualified to ensure that, should smoke and/or fire be present, the alarms will sound when required, potentially saving lives.
Therefore, as responsible property owners these factors must be considered:
Do I have the right smoke alarms installed for maximum protection?
Are the smoke alarms more than 10 years old, and should they be replaced?
Are they correctly positioned in the property?
Do I have a smoke alarm technician ensuring these smoke alarms are working on a routine basis?
The injury (or worse) of a tenant from a fire is something no-one wishes to happen. Not only do we need to know that our duty of care to the tenant is fulfilled as property owners but that the tenant also has the assurance and peace of mind of knowing that they are adequately protected.
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