Do I need smoke alarms in a building to be demolished?

The Building Regulations 2012 (“Regulations”) require owners of residential dwellings to have compliant smoke alarms installed prior to the sale, transfer of ownership, rent or hire of a dwelling.

Previously, this required all sellers of residential property to ensure that compliant Smoke Alarms were installed in the house, even if the purchasers intended to demolish the property immediately after settlement.

New changes to the Regulations coming into effect on 22 January 2018, provide an exemption for sellers who are transferring ownership to a person intending to demolish the building. These new changes will align Smoke Alarm regulations, with those currently in place for Residual Current Devices (RCD’s).

Under the new Regulations, current owners of residential property, are not required to install Smoke Alarms in the dwelling provided they have received a Statutory Declaration from the purchaser that they intend to demolish the dwelling within 6 months of the settlement date.

If the new owner decides not to demolish the dwelling they must, at their cost, install the required number of Smoke Alarms into the dwelling.

If you require assistance preparing a Notice of Intended Demolition, amending standard Smoke Alarm clauses, or have any questions regarding your rights and responsibilities under the new Regulations, please speak to our Managing Director Richard Wensley on 0417 995 406.