It is not a legal requirement for private landlords to install smoke alarms inside rental properties. But Fire Service fire investigation and arson reduction manager Peter Wilding is pushing for that to change. He is writing a paper which calls for changes to the Tenancy Act, making it compulsory for rental properties to have smoke alarms installed and maintained.
Really? Why not go the whole hog? With clipboard wielders like Mr Wilding, landlords might as well reside with the tenants to tend to their every other need such as holding the toilet paper and wiping their arses as required.
Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith said he was "more favourably disposed" to landlords being responsible for providing smoke alarms but tenants being responsible for their maintenance
At least the current government shows some common sense. As for the feckless that rent and thus have no skin in the ownership game, getting tenants to be responsible whilst pissed and doped to the eyeballs will never happen.
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Considering the exorbitant rent landlords are charging in Auckland for quite often tiny, cold, damp hovels, it's the least they can do. Some are wanting six hundred a week for falling-down junky around west Auckland.
Go and attach them, PM.
Attach them? Surely you mean attack them.
Anyway the problem lies with tenants that cannot be bothered to look after their own safety through fitting and maintaining a $10 alarm and battery.
As a very recent landlord in West Auckland my tenants did enjoy regular vetting of their fitted alarms via inspection done by the tenancy agency.
$600/wk for a damp cold hovel you say? You need a better class of landlord! One who is willing to look after their tenants without further regulations.
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