Short answer: NSW landlords must provide a property that’s fit to live in, with working smoke alarms, adequate lighting and enough power outlets, and must treat any electrical fault as an urgent repair. A practical checklist also includes testing safety switches at each condition report, keeping compliance certificates, and getting an electrician to check older switchboards and wiring between tenancies.
Rental properties in the Inner West range from brand-new apartments to 120-year-old terraces with ceramic fuses. The rules are the same for all of them, but the risks aren’t. This checklist pulls together the NSW electrical requirements for landlords and agents, plus the practical checks that prevent urgent call-outs and unhappy tenants.
This is general information. Check the linked NSW Government pages, and get advice for your property.
The legal baseline
Minimum standards
Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, a rental must meet minimum standards to be fit to live in. According to the NSW Government’s minimum standards page, these include:
- adequate natural or artificial lighting in each room, except storage rooms and garages
- electricity or gas supply and an adequate number of electricity outlets (sockets) for lighting, heating and appliances
Smoke alarms
NSW Fair Trading sets out landlord smoke alarm duties, including:
- make sure alarms are installed and working
- repair or replace a faulty alarm (including a flat removable battery) within 2 business days of finding out
- check alarms every year
- replace removable batteries every year, and alarms within 10 years of manufacture or earlier if the manufacturer says so
Electrical faults and safety switches
According to NSW Fair Trading’s electrical safety page:
- any electrical fault is an urgent repair
- the condition report records whether there’s a safety switch and whether it works
- a safety switch that’s faulty or keeps detecting a fault is an urgent repair
The checklist
Before a new tenancy
- Test every safety switch with its Test button, and record the result on the condition report
- Check all smoke alarms with the test button; replace any older than 10 years
- Make sure every light works and has a working globe
- Look for cracked, loose, scorched or warm power points and switches
- Check outdoor lights and power points for weather damage
- Confirm the oven, cooktop, rangehood and hot water system work
- Make sure the switchboard is labelled and accessible
Every year
- Test smoke alarms and replace removable batteries
- Vacuum smoke alarms
- Ask tenants about tripping, flickering lights or warm outlets
- Review the age of the switchboard and smoke alarms
When there’s a problem
- Treat electrical faults as urgent repairs
- Use a licensed electrician (tenants and handymen must not do electrical work)
- Ask for the Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) after any electrical work, which NSW requires within 7 days of testing according to the NSW Government
Keep on file
- CCEWs for all electrical work
- smoke alarm installation dates and annual check records
- condition reports showing safety switch tests
- invoices for repairs and replacements
Upgrades that pay off in rentals
These aren’t always legally required for existing rentals, but they reduce risk and urgent call-outs:
| Upgrade | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Safety switches on all circuits | Shock protection everywhere; fewer complaints of “half the house went off” |
| Replacing ceramic fuses | No more blown fuses for tenants to deal with |
| 10-year lithium or hardwired smoke alarms | No annual battery replacement; see hardwired vs battery alarms |
| Interconnected alarms | Better protection in multi-level homes; see interconnected smoke alarms |
| LED lighting | Fewer blown globes and lower running costs for tenants |
| Extra power points | Fewer power boards and double adaptors |
If your rental still has ceramic fuses, read replacing a ceramic fuse switchboard.
Inner West terrace and older unit watch-outs
- Old rubber or VIR wiring, which can crumble with age
- Bituminous switchboard backing boards that may contain asbestos, which SafeWork NSW says should not be drilled or disturbed
- Shared meter rooms in older strata blocks, where the landlord’s board is in a common area
- DIY additions by previous owners, like extension leads run through walls or outdoor power without weatherproofing
Managing a rental in the Inner West? We do electrical safety inspections, smoke alarm compliance and urgent repairs for landlords and agents. Call 0421 772 661.
For property managers
Having one electrician who knows the property makes urgent repairs faster. Give them the tenant’s contact, access arrangements and any history. Ask for written findings and the CCEW so you can pass them on to the owner.
We look after rentals in Newtown, Camperdown, Ashfield and across the Inner West. Need help fast? See our emergency electrician page.
Frequently asked questions
Do landlords in NSW have to install safety switches?
NSW rental law doesn’t generally require safety switches to be added to existing rentals, but the condition report must show whether there is one and whether it works, and a faulty safety switch is an urgent repair. Many landlords fit them for safety.
How often must landlords check smoke alarms in NSW?
Every year, and removable batteries must be replaced every year. Faulty alarms must be repaired within 2 business days of the landlord finding out.
Is an electrical fault an urgent repair?
Yes. NSW Fair Trading lists any electrical fault in a rental property as an urgent repair.
Can a tenant fix electrical problems themselves?
No. Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician. Tenants should report problems to the landlord or agent.