OH & S, Fire Systems and Building Codes
People’s expectations of what a landlord should provide and pay for in the area of OH & S and Fire Systems can differ greatly. Here are some simple rules that can avoid a lot of confusion and headaches.
Rule 1 – If anything needs to be done in the premises because a tenant wants to use it for a particular purpose then the tenant pays for that work.
Rule 2 – If the local council requires that work to be done to the premises because a tenant wants to use the premises in a particular way, then the tenants pays for that work.
Rule 3 – There is no automatic requirement for a landlord to bring a building up to the latest BCA standards therefore if the tenant wants some work done to bring a building up to that standard then the tenant pays for that work.
We cover all of these areas in a more subtle way in our leases but sometimes it helps to set it out clearly so that a tenant with unusual expectations is made aware that they will have to pay for any work that they require.