Safety for homes and units
The building owner is responsible for looking after a building or a renovation for the life of the building. This includes checking and looking after its essential safety measures like smoke alarms, child barriers to pools and spas, and termite management.
By law, safety measures in a building must exist and must always work. They must be checked and looked after regularly. Safety measures make sure the people in the building, people in the next buildings and people on the street can be safe in a fire or another emergency.
Smoke alarms
- You must install smoke alarms in any buildings where people sleep. It doesn’t matter how old the building is.
- You must install a smoke alarm on or near the ceiling of every level in the building.
- You must replace the smoke alarm battery every year. If the battery is lithium ion, replace it every ten years.
- If you rent a house or unit, your landlord must make sure smoke alarms are installed and kept in working condition.
Swimming pool and spa barriers
- Drowning is the most common cause of preventable death for children under five years of age in Victoria.
- A swimming pool or spa deeper than 30 cm must have safety barriers to stop young children entering.
- You must keep the barrier, fence, gate or door to a swimming pool or spa in good working order.
- Fines up to $5000 apply if there are no barriers.
- You must always supervise young children around a swimming pool or spa. A barrier is not enough.
Basketball rings
- You must check the stability of the post, brick wall or any other supporting structure regularly. The supporting structure can weaken over time.
- Children should never hang or swing off a basketball ring.
Termites and white ants
In Moreland, there are no large areas that have termite infestation. This may change in the future, and there may be small sections of Moreland with termites.
Termites and white ants can damage houses and units.
- Termites and white ants live in the dark and are attracted to damp. They eat wood and weaken a building structure.
- House insurance does not cover damage by termites and white ants.
- You should put gardens, materials and rainwater tanks away from walls.
- You should regularly check decks and wooden verandahs.
- You should repair leaks quickly.
