Guides › Electrical › New South Wales
Electrical and smoke alarm compliance for NSW rentals
The short answer
NSW does not require a periodic electrical safety check, and there is no blanket rule forcing safety switches to be retrofitted to existing homes. The recurring legal duty in a NSW rental is about smoke alarms, backed by a general duty to keep the property safe.
Safety switches and RCDs
There is no requirement to retrofit safety switches to an existing installation. New electrical work must include RCD protection, and the landlord has a general duty to keep the premises safe and fit to live in, with wiring maintained to AS/NZS 3000. An electrical inspection in NSW is sold and done as good practice, not as a legal mandate.
Smoke alarms
At least one working smoke alarm on every storey, in the hallway outside the bedrooms. The landlord must check them annually, and repair or replace a faulty alarm (battery included) within 2 business days. Alarms are replaced per the manufacturer, or every 10 years. This duty cannot be handed to the tenant.
Worth knowing
The 2 business day clock is the one that catches people out
Once a landlord knows an alarm is not working, the repair or replacement window is 2 business days. A dated record of when the fault was reported and when it was fixed is what proves it.
When it needs doing
Smoke alarm checks are annual. Electrical inspections are best practice, commonly done at a change of tenancy.
Who is responsible for what
The landlord holds the smoke alarm duty and cannot pass it to the tenant. The agent typically arranges the annual check. The tenant must report a faulty alarm, which starts the landlord’s 2 business day repair clock.
What the report should record
A verbal all clear is worth nothing six months later when someone asks for evidence. Whatever you use to do the check, these are the things worth having on the written record in New South Wales:
- Property address and the landlord or agent it was done for
- Date of the check and the date the next annual check falls due
- Every alarm location, type, and its expiry or manufacture date
- Test result for each alarm
- Any alarm replaced, and the date it was replaced
- Where an electrical inspection was also done, the switchboard condition and any RCD protection present
- Defects found, with photos
- Signature of the person who did the work
What commonly fails
The defects that turn up most often on New South Wales rental properties:
- A missing alarm on one storey of a two storey home
- Alarms well past the 10 year replacement mark
- No dated record of the annual check, which is the thing that actually proves compliance
- Older boards with no RCD protection, which is legal but worth flagging to the owner
Do the check on your phone, hand over the report before you leave
Safety Check Pro walks you through the checkpoints for New South Wales, records your test results and photos, and produces a branded PDF report with your own logo on it. Works offline, syncs when you have signal.
See how it works All report types
Free plan includes 4 reports a month. No card needed to start.
Common questions
Do NSW rentals need an electrical safety check?
No. There is no periodic electrical safety check mandated in NSW the way there is in Victoria. Many agents still book one as good practice, particularly between tenancies.
Are safety switches compulsory in a NSW rental?
There is no requirement to retrofit them to an existing installation. New electrical work must include RCD protection.
How often do smoke alarms need checking?
Annually, by the landlord. A faulty alarm must be repaired or replaced within 2 business days of the landlord becoming aware of it.
Can the tenant be made responsible for the smoke alarms?
No. The annual check and the repair duty sit with the landlord and cannot be passed to the tenant.
Other states
VIC QLD SA WA TAS ACT NT All electrical
Last reviewed: September 2026. This page is general information for tradespeople and property owners, not legal advice. Rental and electrical safety laws change, and the requirements for an individual property can differ. Confirm the current position with NSW Fair Trading before you rely on it.