Tenant Responsibilities
- Tenants are required by law to notify the landlord if any alarm is inoperable.
- It is against the law for tenants to remove the batteries or tamper with alarms in any way.
- Tenants should contact their landlords immediately if they do not have the required number of alarms.
Chatham-Kent Fire & Recuse offers free home alarm checks for tenants. Learn more about CHiRP Checks.
If you need to report an issue with your rental unit or home please complete the Concern and Complaint Form or contact us at 519-436-3270.
Visit the Chatham-Kent website for more tenant information.
Rental Housing Guide
When searching for a place to call home. It is important to ensure it is safe. Visit the U.S Fire Adminstration to access the Home Safety Checklist for your next rental unit or home.
Chatham-Kent Fire & Recuse offers free home alarm checks for tenants. Learn more about CHiRP Checks.
Visit the Chatham-Kent website to learn more about affordable housing in Chatham-Kent.
Landlord Responsibilities
As an owner, you have obligations under the Ontario Fire Code for ensuring the fire safety of persons who rent your home or part of your home whether this is on a short-term or long-term basis.
Smoke Alarms
Landlords are responsible for ensuring working smoke alarms are installed and maintained in their rental properties.
The law requires landlords to test smoke alarms in rental units annually and when the battery is replaced, changes are made to the electric circuit or a change in tenancy occurs. Smoke alarms must be tested by pressing the test button.
The law requires landlords to provide smoke alarm manufacturer's maintenance instructions to tenants.
The owner of a condominium suite is responsible for the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms in the suite.
In a situation where the condominium owner rents out the suite to a tenant, the owner takes on the role of the landlord and is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the smoke alarms.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Landlords are responsible to ensure working carbon monoxide alarms are installed and maintained in their rental properties.
The law requires landlords to test CO alarms in rental units annually and when the battery is replaced, changes are made to the electric circuit or a change in tenancy occurs. CO alarms must be tested by pressing the test button.
The law requires landlords to provide CO alarm manufacturer's maintenance instructions to tenants.
The owner of the condominium suite is responsible for the installation and maintenance of CO alarms in the suite. Often, there are agreements between the owner and the condominium corporation in which the corporation takes on this responsibility on behalf of the owner.
In a situation where the condominium owner rents out the suite to a tenant, the owner takes on the role of the landlord and is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the CO alarms. Again, there are often agreements between the owner/landlord and the condominium corporation, in which the corporation takes on this responsibility on behalf of the owner/landlord.
Apartment Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Checklist
