South Australian smoke alarm rules changed in 2014 and again in 2024. If you are a landlord or property manager, getting them wrong can mean serious legal liability if something goes wrong. Here is what the law currently says.
Where alarms are required
Smoke alarms are required in every bedroom, in hallways outside sleeping areas, and on every storey of the home. For older homes that did not originally have alarms, retrofitting is mandatory at lease changeover or any major renovation.
Type of alarm
Photoelectric alarms are now the recommended standard. They detect smouldering fires (which kill more people than fast-flame fires) much earlier than the older ionisation alarms.
Alarms must be hardwired with battery backup, OR have a 10-year non-removable lithium battery. The 9V battery alarms that you change every year are no longer compliant for new installs.
Interconnection
Modern requirement is that all alarms in the house interconnect. If one detects smoke, all alarms sound. This gives early warning even if the fire starts in a part of the house you cannot hear from the bedroom.
Landlord responsibilities
The landlord must ensure alarms are installed, working, and tested at the start of every new tenancy. Many property managers do this as standard. If yours does not, the responsibility falls to you as the owner.
Between tenancies, alarms should be tested and batteries replaced if applicable. Alarms over 10 years old must be replaced regardless of whether they still beep.
What it costs in Adelaide
Battery-only 10-year alarm: $40 to $80 supplied and installed per alarm. Cheapest option but no interconnection.
Hardwired interconnected alarm: $120 to $200 per alarm including install. Higher cost but better protection and meets best-practice standard.
Whole-house upgrade for a 3-bedroom home: $600 to $1,000 with hardwired interconnected alarms throughout.
Renters: your role
Test the alarm monthly using the test button. Report any issues to the landlord immediately.
Do not remove batteries or disable alarms because they are annoying. If a smoke alarm goes off for cooking, the answer is better ventilation, not a disabled alarm.
What we do
We install and certify smoke alarms across Adelaide metro. We can do single alarm replacements or full house upgrades. For landlords, we provide a written compliance certificate showing the alarms meet current SA standards.