Every 4.7 hours a house in Queensland catches fire. For the people inside, the difference between a scare and a tragedy often comes down to one thing: whether the smoke alarms work. Property managers are on the front line of that reality, and the state’s new smoke-alarm laws finally give them a system that can genuinely protect their most vulnerable tenants.
From 1 January 2027, new laws will be introduced in Queensland regulating the number and type of smoke alarms fitted in all properties.
Instead of a single lonely alarm in the hallway that no one hears, the new rules demand interconnected alarms in every bedroom and hallway. If a fire starts in one room, every alarm in the home screams at once — waking children, older residents, deep sleepers and anyone who might otherwise never know the danger is spreading towards them.
Instead of traditional ionisation alarms, which tend to respond slowly to the smouldering fires most common in modern dwellings, the reforms mandate photoelectric alarms — already compulsory in commercial premises — which detect smoke particles far earlier, often providing minutes of additional warning.
The changes give property managers a system that acts instantly and universally, alerting every room at once and giving every occupant the same critical chance to escape.
Smoke can render a room deadly in as little as two minutes. In that context, early detection is not a convenience; it is the decisive factor that determines whether occupants can evacuate.
For property managers, the challenge now is scale: working out which homes are compliant, which need urgent upgrades, and how to document everything before the deadline lands. That’s where Taskforce can help — with portfolio-wide audits, clear reporting and installation programs designed to keep teams ahead of the 2027 curve and tenants as safe as possible.
Click here for more information on how Taskforce can support you transition your portfolio.
At a glance ...
From 1 January 2027, every Queensland rental property must have:
- Photoelectric smoke alarms (no ionisation alarms)
- Interconnected alarms so all sound together
- Alarms in every bedroom
- Alarms in hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the home
- At least one alarm on every storey
- No alarms older than 10 years
- Correct placement as per AS 3786:2014
All alarms must be hardwired where possible; otherwise sealed 10-year lithium batteries are permitted.
This applies to: all rental properties, including houses, units, townhouses and rooming accommodation.
