Landlords, agents and sellers, QLD licence 92423
Interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms installed and tested by licensed electricians, so a rental or a sale property meets Queensland's smoke alarm laws.
Ryder Electrical Services supplies, installs and tests smoke alarms for rental properties and homes being sold, across the Gold Coast up to Brisbane's north side. This page is for owners, landlords and the agents who act for them. Living in the home yourself? See our main smoke alarm installation page.
The rules themselves are set out in our Queensland smoke alarm law guide. What follows is the landlord's side of it: who does what, what an agent should check, and what the work involves.
The owner carries the obligation and the tenant has a smaller, ongoing part. A property manager acts for the owner, but the duty stays with the owner.
Sources: Residential Tenancies Authority: Smoke alarms; Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), s 148B; Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms. Last verified 30 September 2026.
Six things to confirm for each property before a tenancy starts or a listing goes live.
Each alarm complies with AS 3786-2014 and has a photoelectric sensor, with no ionisation sensor alongside it.
Every alarm is linked to every other one, so when one sounds they all sound.
An alarm in each bedroom, in any hallway connecting bedrooms, and on every storey, clear of light fittings, corners, air conditioner outlets and fan blades.
Hardwired, or a built-in battery that cannot be removed and is made to last at least 10 years. Hardwired alarms must be replaced with hardwired ones.
A new alarm must have been manufactured less than 10 years before it is installed, and any alarm is replaced within 10 years of its manufacture date.
Every alarm is tested within the 30 days before the tenancy starts, by the property manager or owner.
Sources: Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld), s 55E; Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), ss 147Z and 148A; Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld), s 55C; Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld), s 55D. Last verified 30 September 2026.
Where each alarm must go is covered in our FAQ on smoke alarm locations. Rentals have also needed safety switches on power points since 2006, so it is worth checking the board on the same visit: see safety switch installation, switchboard upgrades and safety switches versus circuit breakers.
Source: Electrical Safety Office, Queensland: Electricity in the home. Last verified 30 September 2026.
Sales and new leases
The same requirements apply when a property is sold, and when a new tenancy starts or an existing one is renewed. In both cases the date that matters is 1 January 2022.
Selling or letting an apartment or short-stay lot? See how this works in Surfers Paradise and for landlords in Logan and Beenleigh.
Where an owner agrees to sell after 31 December 2021, the home must meet the smoke alarm requirements. The seller lodges a Form 24 stating they have been met.
A tenancy that starts after 31 December 2021 needs the full set of interconnected photoelectric alarms from day one.
Renewing an existing tenancy after 31 December 2021 triggers the same requirement, so a long-running lease is not exempt.
Sources: Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), ss 147Y and 147Z; Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms. Last verified 30 September 2026.
The work is the same licensed smoke alarm installation we do for any home.
Each alarm in the property is checked for type, power source, manufacture date and position against the current rules.
The property manager or owner gives the tenant an entry notice 48 hours before work to install, maintain, test or replace the alarms.
Photoelectric alarms complying with AS 3786-2014 are fitted, hardwired wherever the alarms they replace were hardwired.
Every alarm is set off in turn to confirm the rest sound with it, so the whole home is alerted from any room.
You receive the certificate of testing and safety where the job involved electrical work. Sellers still lodge their own Form 24.
Where the job includes electrical work, a licensed electrician must give you a certificate of testing and safety once it is tested. For what it records, see our certificate FAQ. Managing a building rather than a single home? Common property work sits with our strata and body corporate electrical work.
Sources: Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld), s 208; Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld), ss 18 and 55. Last verified 30 September 2026.
Call, or request a quote online and tell us whether the property is tenanted, vacant or about to be sold.
Why call RES
QLD electrical licence 92423, with all work done to Australian Standards.
Installation work is backed by a 10-year warranty on the workmanship.
Years of residential work behind every alarm layout and interconnection.
Working across the Gold Coast up to Brisbane's north side.
Meet Alex Ryder, or see our wider residential electrical services. If an alarm is chirping with a burning smell or a tripping switch, use the 24/7 emergency electrician line.
“Easy to talk to and discuss options. Quick and fuss free installation.”
“I found Alex approach to be punctual, knowledgeable, honest and direct. He under took the job of finding and installing a battery for my system with tenacity, vigour and professionalism. He was competitive in his quote and provided the right product to suit my needs. His integrity and performance is such that I have no issue with recommending Alex to anyone that is considering installing Solar.”
“From the first conversation I had with Alex through to the seamless installation of my Extra 6.6KW of Solar panels & Sigenergy 32kw Battery I felt Ryder Electrical were a professional ,attentive and caring organisation. Alex kept me informed throughout the consultation process ensuring I chose the best suited quality system for our families needs,giving...”
“Selected from several quotes, and did not disappoint. Good plan, smooth communication, battery and extra panels installed without a hitch, bollards 2 days later. All looks good and functions as planned. Very happy.”
“Excellent and friendly service, Alex explained the whole process well. Highly recommended 👍”
“I highly recommend Alex/Ryder Electiricals. They are professional, knowledgeable, and deliver exceptional work. Whether it’s a small repair or a major installation, you can trust them to get the job done right.”
Common Questions
No. Making the dwelling compliant is the owner's or landlord's responsibility, and a property manager or owner cannot pass that obligation on to the tenant. The tenant's part is to test and clean the alarms at least once every 12 months.
Source: Residential Tenancies Authority: Smoke alarms; Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms.Last verified 30 September 2026.
The property manager or owner must test the alarms within the 30 days before the start date of each tenancy. During the tenancy, the tenant must test and clean them at least once every 12 months, and no qualification is needed to do it.
Source: Residential Tenancies Authority: Smoke alarms; Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), s 148B.Last verified 30 September 2026.
Related:Smoke alarm laws in the FAQ
We have found no Queensland requirement for an electrician-issued smoke alarm compliance certificate, and none sets a validity period. Sellers lodge a Form 24 stating the requirements have been met. Where an electrician does electrical work, such as hardwired alarms, a certificate of testing and safety follows.
Source: Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms; Electrical Safety Regulation 2026 (Qld), s 208.Last verified 30 September 2026.
Related:What the certificate covers
The property manager or owner must give the tenant an entry notice 48 hours before work to install, maintain, test or replace smoke alarms.
Source: Residential Tenancies Authority: Smoke alarms.Last verified 30 September 2026.
Where the owner agrees to sell after 31 December 2021, the home must have interconnected photoelectric alarms complying with AS 3786-2014. The seller lodges a Form 24 stating that the smoke alarm requirements have been met.
Source: Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), ss 147Y and 147Z; Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms.Last verified 30 September 2026.
Yes, if they are photoelectric, interconnected and have a built-in battery that cannot be removed and lasts at least 10 years. Queensland guidance says compliant wireless alarms need no electrical work. If the alarm being replaced is hardwired, the replacement must be hardwired as well.
Source: Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (Qld), s 55D; Fire Services Act 1990 (Qld), s 148A; Queensland Government: Buying smoke alarms.Last verified 30 September 2026.
Further Reading
One licensed team for the whole property, so the electrical side of every job is handled by the people who did the rest of it.
Local electricians from the Gold Coast to Brisbane's north side.
Call (07) 5241 1122 or request a free quote online. Tell us whether the home is tenanted, vacant or being sold, so the visit can be planned around it.