Smoke alarm QLD legislation sets a firm date for every rental home: by 1 January 2027, all existing private homes, townhouses, units and manufactured homes in Queensland must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms. If you own or manage a rental, that rule sits alongside the day-to-day duties the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) sets for owners, managers and tenants. This guide covers both, in plain English, with links to the official sources.

Smoke alarm QLD legislation: the 1 January 2027 rule

The Queensland Government’s smoke alarm page states: “By 1 January 2027, all existing private homes, townhouses, units and manufactured homes in Queensland must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms.”

For landlords, “existing” is the key word. The rule doesn’t wait for a new lease or a sale. Every rental home needs compliant alarms by that date, whether a tenancy is running, about to start, or between tenants.

Registered caravans and motorhomes must also be fitted with a photoelectric smoke alarm. If you rent out a registered caravan, it needs one on the ceiling.

QFD says the law came in over ten years in three stages from January 2017, and that if you are renting or re-renting a dwelling you must already have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms installed. The final deadline for every other home is 1 January 2027.

For a step-by-step timeline, see our 1 January 2027 deadline explainer.

What smoke alarm QLD legislation requires of each alarm

Each required smoke alarm must:

  • be photoelectric
  • not contain an ionisation sensor
  • comply with Australian Standard AS 3786:2014, with the code marked on the alarm
  • be interconnected with the other alarms, so that when one sounds, they all sound.

The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) adds a simple replacement test. Replace any alarm that contains an ionisation sensor, is not interconnected, or is more than 10 years old.

When you inspect a rental, take an alarm down and read the label. If you can’t find AS 3786, or the manufacture date is more than 10 years ago, put it on the replacement list.

Where alarms must go in a rental home

QFD’s fact sheet lists the required locations:

  • in every bedroom
  • in every hallway, or room, connecting bedrooms
  • on every storey of the home
  • on the ceiling of registered caravans and motorhomes.

For a portfolio, it helps to record a simple count per property: bedrooms, connecting hallways or rooms, and storeys. That count is your shopping list, and it gives your property manager a record to check against at each inspection.

QFD says alarms go on the ceiling, at least 300 mm from corners or lights and 400 mm from anything that blows air, such as an air conditioner or the edge of a ceiling fan blade. The centre of the room is preferred but not required, and sloping ceilings and ceilings with exposed beams have special requirements.

Hardwired or wireless: what a landlord can do

QFD says smoke alarms are powered by either a non-removable battery or mains power.

Hardwired alarms connect to mains power and must be installed by a qualified electrician. If a property’s current alarms are hardwired, the replacements must also be hardwired. Budget for an electrician’s visit for these homes.

Wireless alarms have a non-removable 10-year battery and connect without wiring. QFD says they can be installed yourself. For battery-powered properties, wireless interconnected alarms can be a quick upgrade between tenancies or at a routine inspection, with the tenant’s notice given as usual.

We stock both: wireless interconnected alarms such as the RED R10RF and Emerald EVO10RF, and 240V hardwired alarms such as the RED R240RC. See the RED Professional range and the Emerald range.

Landlord and property manager duties during a tenancy

The RTA sets out what the owner or property manager must do:

  • Test the smoke alarms within 30 days before a tenancy starts or is renewed.
  • Replace any flat or nearly flat batteries at that time.

A simple routine is to add a smoke alarm check to your entry-condition process. Test each alarm, press the test button on one to confirm the others sound (interconnection), note the date code of each alarm, and record the results. That record is useful if a question ever comes up later.

Tenant duties

The RTA also sets out what the tenant must do during the tenancy:

  • Test and clean the smoke alarms at least once every 12 months.
  • Replace flat batteries during the tenancy.
  • Tell the owner or property manager if there’s a problem with an alarm.

QFD’s general advice for everyone is to test alarms every month, and to clean away dust and insects with a vacuum or brush. Many landlords share that advice with tenants at the start of a tenancy. Note that alarms with a non-removable 10-year battery have no battery to change; if one stops working, the tenant should report it.

What neither side may do

The RTA is clear that neither the landlord nor the tenant may remove a smoke alarm, or do anything that makes it less effective, such as painting or covering it. QFD’s fact sheet says the same: don’t block or cover alarms, and never paint over them.

Nuisance alarms are the most common reason people are tempted to disable one. QFD notes that vacuuming an alarm, in the way the manufacturer’s instructions describe, clears debris that can cause nuisance activations.

A quick checklist for landlords

  1. Count the required alarms for each property (bedrooms, connecting hallways or rooms, storeys).
  2. Check each existing alarm: photoelectric, no ionisation sensor, AS 3786:2014 on the label, interconnected, under 10 years old.
  3. Note whether each property is hardwired or battery-powered.
  4. Order matching alarms for each property, one brand per home. Our smoke alarm shop has multi-packs with a free remote controller and magnetic mounting plates.
  5. Arrange a qualified electrician for hardwired properties.
  6. Test within 30 days before each new or renewed tenancy, and keep a record.

Selling a rental? Our selling property guide covers homes going on the market. Questions about which alarms suit a property? Contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Do rental properties need interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 2027?

Yes. By 1 January 2027, all existing private homes, townhouses, units and manufactured homes in Queensland must have them, rentals included.

Who tests smoke alarms in a Queensland rental?

The owner or property manager tests them within 30 days before a tenancy starts or is renewed. The tenant tests and cleans them at least once every 12 months during the tenancy.

Who replaces flat batteries?

The owner or manager replaces flat or nearly flat batteries at the start of a tenancy. The tenant replaces flat batteries during the tenancy.

Can a tenant remove a smoke alarm that keeps going off?

No. Neither the tenant nor the landlord may remove an alarm or make it less effective. The tenant should tell the owner or property manager about the problem.

Can I install the alarms in my rental myself?

Wireless alarms with a non-removable 10-year battery can be installed yourself, QFD says. Hardwired alarms must be installed by a qualified electrician.

Sources