It is understandable that the Coronavirus is causing concern for some of our clients and our aim is to support you through this time. Detector Inspector’s top priority is looking after the safety of tenants, customers, our field services technicians and office workers. We aim to continue our commitment to making homes safer while providing agents and owners complete peace of mind.

Please click here for more information on our current COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Despite the current situation, one thing that we know is that the proposed changes in the legislation will mean that on or before January 1 2021 the Safety & Compliance checks offered in our Safer Home Package will be mandatory. With only a few months until these new laws are expected to be in place, we know a significant number of forward-thinking agencies and landlords will see it as a priority to get ready prior to this deadline and we are here to accommodate this need.

In the coming weeks and months, many Australians will be forced to work from home or stood down from their jobs. More and more families will be staying at home in isolation. Safety checks are more important now than ever.

Don’t let safety slide during uncertain times. Property owners and managers MUST ensure regular maintenance continues – it’s still your responsibility, and it will save lives.

It is the responsibility of every agency and landlord to provide a safe living environment for tenants. This has always been the case, however the draft changes to the Residential Tenancy Act (VIC) see these obligations becoming more specific and enforceable. Detector Inspector’s Safer Home Package has been specifically designed to assist both agencies and landlords in meeting the new regulations.

The key reason is that under the new regulations only licenced gas fitters and electricians will be able to conduct Safety & Compliance checks and their licence details must be kept on record. With over 600,000 rental properties in Victoria it is expected over the coming months the demand for these tradespeople is likely to outweigh supply, therefore, pro-active agencies are working to get their landlords compliant as soon as possible.

Detector Inspector will assess situations where a property has been sold or where leasing stops for any reason on a case by case basis. If this happens before works have been completed Detector Inspector will give a refund for the portion of the fee corresponding to any services not completed. If works have been completed on all three services there will be no refund, however the property will remain under warranty for the full duration of the service schedule. It is important to note that the Safer Home Package has no exit fees, cancellation fees or any notice period to cancel.

Upon the change of each tenancy and within 7 days of a request from a tenant, a detailed compliance report with specific mandatory information will be required to be sent to tenants showing that the property is compliant.

The draft Residential Tenancies Act (VIC) regulations state that only licenced gas fitters and electricians will be able to conduct the gas and electrical checks and their licence details must be kept on record. A landlord could certainly engage their own tradespeople; however, an agency must think of the added administrative requirements that have been imposed along side the services themselves.

Additional record keeping will make it difficult for any agency to manage using multiple service providers effectively. Automated processes and easy access to required information may not be possible when managing different service providers requested by landlords. Further, Detector Inspector’s Safer Home Package represents good value for money and provides numerous other key benefits.

We would always suggest that you take financial advice from your accountant or financial advisor, however, in most cases any expense on a rental property would be considered a tax deduction.

A new property will not be exempt from the regulations. The regulations will require all rental properties to have a smoke alarm Safety & Compliance service every 12 months and gas and an electrical Safety & Compliance service every 2 years conducted periodically. Upon the change of each tenancy and within 7 days of a request from a tenant, a detailed compliance report with specific mandatory information will be required to be sent to tenants showing that the property is compliant. All properties, including new properties will require these services to comply.

Regardless of the size of property under the new regulations there is a requirement for Safety & Compliance checks on all smoke alarms, gas and electrical appliances and fittings. The time required for smoke alarm and electrical checks does not vary substantially regardless of the number of bedrooms and therefore the charge is the same for all residential dwellings. However, we offer a reduced rate for the gas service if the property has only a single gas appliance, which is often the case with smaller dwellings.

Typically to enforce industry regulations, Consumer Affairs Victoria will either conduct random agency audits or respond to complaints from tenants or landlords. With a random audit, Consumer Affairs Victoria can come into any office at any time and ask to see the records. Therefore, it is essential as an agency to ensure we have a clear system and strategy to protect both our business and our clients. By partnering with Detector Inspector, we have access to their state-of-the-art compliance portal. This will mean that at the touch of a button we will be able to pull up the compliance records for any property enrolled in the service should we be asked by authorities. This in turn provides you with the highest level of protection possible.

Approving is very easy, you can either simply complete below form or simply send your agency an email with the following wording.

I would like Detector Inspector to enrol (property address) in the following services:

• Smoke Alarm Safety & Compliance - YES
• Gas Appliance Safety & Compliance - YES
• Electrical Appliance Safety & Compliance - YES