Fire safety at home

A man installs a smoke alarm on the ceiling.

NSW Fire & Rescue offers a Home Fire Safety Checklist to help people keep their homes safe from fire.

Smoke alarms are required in all existing buildings where people sleep. Most building fire deaths occur while people are asleep and could have been prevented with working smoke alarms and a home escape plan.

Smoke alarms must be installed on every level of a building that has sleeping accommodation, including private homes, units, shop top housing, movable dwellings (excluding tents, campervans, or caravans), boarding houses, B&Bs, Air B&B's, backpacker lodgings, accommodation for the aged, children, and people with disabilities, hostels, and nursing homes.

The alarms must meet the  specifications listed in Part 13 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.

It is the responsibility of the owner of the building to install the smoke alarms.

More information on landlord’s responsibilities is available via the NSW Fire and Rescue website.

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