Legislation - Short Term Rental Accommodation in NSW
The rules governing short-term rental accommodation in NSW have changed, effective from 1 March 2022.
Short-term rental accommodation (STRA) refers to a dwelling or part of a dwelling rented out for a temporary or short-term period. This is often arranged through online platforms such as AirBnB or Stayz.
The NSW government has announced a new statewide policy for STRA. The policy includes:
- A new planning framework
- Some new definitions
- New fire safety standards
- A new government-run STRA register
New Fire Safety Standards for STRA in NSW
Here’s how the new policy impacts fire safety requirements.
For all dwellings:
- Smoke alarms must be installed
- in every hallway associated with a bedroom, or if there are no hallways, in an area connecting the bedroom to the rest of the dwelling
- in every storey of the dwelling
- on or near the ceiling
- Smoke alarms must comply with AS 3786
- except where the placement is likely to cause ‘false alarm’ activation
- in which case an alarm deemed suitable in accordance with AS 1670.1 may be installed provided there are AS 3786 compliant alarms installed elsewhere in the building
- Smoke alarms must be powered by the mains electricity supply or by a non-removable battery with a minimum 10 year battery life
- All smoke alarms must be interconnected.
For Class 1a buildings:
A Class 1a building is a house, including a fully detached house or an attached townhouse, terrace house or similar.
- The requirements above ‘for all dwellings’ apply, plus
- A heat alarm must be installed in any private garage attached to the dwelling that is not accessible by guests
- The heat alarm must be a class type A1 or A2 alarm compliant with AS 1603.3
- The heat alarm must be powered by the mains electricity supply or by a non-removable battery with a minimum 10 year battery life
- The heat alarm must be interconnected with the smoke alarms inside the dwelling so as to activate them.
For Class 2 buildings and Class 4 parts of buildings:
A Class 2 building is a multi-unit residential apartment building. A Class 4 part of a building is a residence within a non-residential building, such as a caretaker’s residence in a commercial facility.
- The requirements above ‘for all dwellings’ apply, plus
- Entrance/exit doors must be openable from inside without a key
- A 2.5kg ABE portable fire extinguisher must be installed in an accessible location in the kitchen in accordance with Section 3 of AS 2444
- A fire blanket must be installed in an accessible location in the kitchen in accordance with Section 6 of AS 2444.
- An evacuation diagram complying with 5.5.2. of the Short-Term Rental Accommodation Fire Safety Standard must be affixed inside near the entrance door of the residence and in each bedroom.
Important disclaimer
The advice provided in these guidelines is of a general nature only and is a summary of the main legislation and regulations affecting electrical safety in the relevant states described. It is not to be treated as a comprehensive appraisal of all electrical safety legislation and regulations in force. This advice does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The advice is a summary of guidelines published by state and territory government websites. Accordingly, we have relied on the accuracy of the content published by the relevant websites in compiling this advice. You should seek legal or other professional advice before acting or relying on any of the content.