Smoke alarms have no doubt proven to save lives, however sometimes Landlords 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;
• No smoke alarms were installed at all.
There has been too many times that we have found this has occurred in a rental property. Ray White Real Estate Cowra urges our landlords to consider that the tenants’ life is directly benefited by such a de- vice so we must work together to 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 effectively the best type of alarm but all alarms must be checked by a qualified tradesperson who can 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 the smoke alarms 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 you need to know that your duty of care to the tenant is fulfilled as property owners but that the tenant also has the assurance & peace of mind knowing that they are adequately protected. Sometimes, we struggle to keep track of these things in our own home so how are you meant to keep track of them in your investment properties?
Ray White Real Estate Cowra Property Management Team is your solution to delegate the burden of this so that it is our responsibility to organise the service call out and you can put it out of your mind. Just another way that we strive to making people happy and making your investing experience as easy as possible. We would be delighted to assist with your current or future purchases – call us today.