Smoke alarm testing companies are reporting a surge of activity in Canberra as they aim to bring rental properties up to date with legislation introduced by the ACT government last year.
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Within the past few months, hundreds of rental homes in the capital have been subjected to smoke alarm testing or installation in order to meet compliance with the new legislation before the deadline of August 23.
Under the legislation, all rental properties under existing leases must have a smoke alarm if not already installed, while all new contracts are also required to have one.
Since the changes came into effect last August, smoke alarm companies have reported carrying out thousands of checks or installations.
Smoke Alarm Testing Services national sales manager Brad Hay said workers had been flat out since September and there was no sign of a slow down several months on.
"We've literally got thousands and thousands of properties across Canberra being upgraded, and there's been a very large consistency of work since the legislation came through," he said.
"We've got about seven different technicians doing up to 15 jobs per day, so that's several hundred installations in a week."
The testing service said they had been approached by several Canberra property companies to carry out inspections in the capital since the legislation changes.
"It's always busy at this time of year in Canberra, but all the changes has made it even more so," Mr Hay said.
Department manager of property company Peter Blackshaw, Danielle Gavin, said 600 of their rental properties had already been inspected.
"Safety is our number one priority, and I believe we're about three-quarters of the way through," she said.
"Every property, regardless of how old they are, has to be checked."
While the ACT has implemented changes recently, Ms Gavin said the capital was many years behind regulations seen in other states.
"When I moved to Canberra in 2007, Queensland had only just brought in smoke alarm legislation, so we're 10 years behind," she said.
Tenant advocate groups have said the changes in legislation have been a long time coming, with many older properties being at risk.
Executive officer of Tenants' Union ACT Deb Pippen has welcomed the sudden surge in compliance checks.
"We're very happy to hear that this is happening and that landlords are doing what they're supposed to be doing and having the systems installed," she said.
"It was definitely something we saw as something basic that should exist in all properties for the safety of tenants."
There have been growing calls for increased tenant safety in recent years and smoke alarms are often required as part of insurance policies.
