False Fire Alarm By-Laws

When a fire sensor is activated a fire alarm is triggered and Fire and Rescue NSW will attend the owners corporation’s building.

On each occasion Fire and Rescue NSW attends the owners corporation’s building to respond to a fire alarm that is afterwards discovered to be a false fire alarm, Fire and Rescue NSW normally charges the owners corporation a false fire alarm fee. As at 2016, the false fire alarm fee is $1,250.

Many owners corporations and their executive committees are not aware that the owners corporation has the power to make a by-law under section 47 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 which:

1. Imposes an obligation on the owners and occupiers of the lots in the building not to inappropriately activate a fire sensor or trigger a false fire alarm.

2. Imposes an obligation on the owners of the lots to take reasonable steps to ensure that the occupiers of their lots do not inappropriately activate the fire sensors or trigger false fire alarms in the lots.

3. Permits the owners corporation to recover from any owner or occupier of a lot who breaches the by-law any loss it suffers because of that breach including the Fire and Rescue NSW false fire alarm fee.

If you have any queries or require assistance implementing a false fire alarm by-law for your strata scheme, please feel free to contact Michael Pobi at michael.pobi@pobilawyers.com or on (02) 8710 3430 to discuss your needs.

Please note that the information contained in this article is not legal advice and should not be relied upon. You should obtain legal advice before you take any action or otherwise rely upon the contents of this article.

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      Michael’s areas of specialisation include:

      Before founding Pobi Lawyers, Michael honed his skills at some of Sydney’s most respected strata law firms. He and his team regularly appear before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) and participate in mediations, representing clients effectively in strata disputes and building defect litigation.

      Michael’s approach combines strategic legal counsel with practical, client-focused solutions, helping clients achieve the best possible outcomes. His personal experience living in a 12-lot strata scheme for 13 years, including 2 years serving on the strata committee, gives Michael unique, firsthand insights into the everyday complexities faced by his clients.

      This blend of professional expertise and lived experience enables Michael to provide pragmatic and insightful legal advice, ensuring his guidance is both legally sound and practically relevant.

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