In February, the NSW Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, Matt Kean announced new plans to change how buildings are constructed in NSW. The changes were made in response to the Shergold-Weir Report and include a requirement that building designers and engineers declare that their plans comply with the Building Code of Australia and for…
While summer is technically almost over, many parts of Australia are still sweltering through some of the hottest, driest conditions we have seen. And these conditions are set to continue into autumn. When scorching temperatures combine with strong dry winds, it is a recipe for potential disaster. This could place lives and property at risk,…
At the end of October, the UK press announced greater protection for renters thanks to plans to overhaul health and safety standards for rental accommodation. New Zealand rental property standards also go further in protecting tenant health and safety. And those are just two global examples. Many in the industry believe it’s only a matter…
Common law in Australia dictates that landlords have a duty of care to guarantee the safety of rented properties. If someone (whether it be a tenant or a visitor to the property) is injured at one of the properties you manage, that person could sue the landlord, the agency and even you. Did you know…
If you are a property manager, landlord or tenant in Queensland, you only have until the end of the month to have your say on proposed reforms to the state’s 40-year old residential tenancy laws. With more than a third of Queenslander’s living in rental properties and stories emerging in the media about potentially serious…
PropertySafe and many other industry experts are calling on the Government to mandate balcony inspections, after a balcony collapsed at a rented residential property in Melbourne’s east killing two people and injuring 17 others. Emergency services described “chaotic” scenes after the balcony collapsed during a Christmas party in Doncaster East on Saturday. Investigations are now…
We are fast approaching the dead of winter – if you own a property with a balcony, you may not have used it in weeks. Now is the perfect time to conduct a quick safety check on your balcony and check for any repairs it may need. It only takes a few minutes, but it…
Originally published: here The first national profile on childhood injury in Australia has been released. The full report is available here, and the call the action statement here. Injuries are the number one cause of death in children under 17, finds the first ever national study of nearly 700,000 hospitalisations over the past 10 years….
At PropertySafe, we are committed to property inspections that save lives and prevent injury. We know we have already managed to prevent deaths and personal harm by identifying risks in the home and we are dedicated to continuing to do this every day. To ensure our reports cover as many safety risks as possible, we…
Originally published: here ARE the eight people injured in a balcony collapse in Yamba the casualties of an explosion of lax regulation surrounding short-term rental accommodation? That’s the query from a Sydney-based residents’ lobby group opposing short-term rentals. Police confirmed eight people were treated for injuries with four people being taken to hospital for further treatment…
A two-year-old boy has died after being found floating unconscious in a backyard pool in Sydney’s north west this morning. CareFlight’s rapid response trauma team were called to the home in Stanhope Gardens shortly after 10am where neighbours were frantically performing CPR on the toddler. Landing about 300 metres away at Blacktown Leisure Centre, CareFlight’s…
Acting Fair Trading Commissioner Robert Vellar today announced a new NSW guide on balcony and deck safety (PDF size: 387kb) and encouraged homeowners to do regular inspections and maintenance. Mr Vellar said there had been a number of recent incidents in NSW and other states involving balconies and decks that had resulted in injury or death. “Outdoor…
