NT to roll out mandatory smoke alarms

Recent changes by the Northern Territory government to its Fire and Emergency Regulations mean that all residences in the territory must now be fitted with photoelectric smoke alarms.

The announcement made it clear that all dwellings must have systems installed by November 1, with provisions allowed for some models currently in use.

Acting director of the NT Fire and Rescue Service Mick Ayre welcomed the changes.

He said that the modern alarms were a vast improvement on older models and were preferred by fire services around the globe

The new models are able to detect a smouldering fire much faster than the previous generation, which relied on ionisation to detect smoke.

All dwellings need to comply with the new mandate, from mobile homes and caravans through to large housing developments and apartment complexes.

Speaking on the responsibility of property owners, Ayre asserted: "When establishing a new lease on rental property, a landlord must ensure that a smoke alarm is installed; however the responsibility for maintaining the alarm in working order will be that of the tenant."

This means that professionals in property management programs will need to ensure that the residences supplied to their leaseholders are outfitted with the device whenever a transition of tenants occurs.