The two legal items: smoke alarms and safety switches
Most of the electrical side of a sale comes down to two things the law cares about.
- Smoke alarms. If your sale contract is signed after 31 December 2021, the home must have photoelectric smoke alarms, interconnected so they all sound together, in the locations the law sets out. The Queensland Fire Department says sellers must have this done before the property changes hands.
- Safety switches. Every general power point circuit needs a safety switch. If the home does not have one, Queensland's electrical safety rules give the new owner 90 days after they become the owner to have one installed. That makes it the buyer's job on paper, but in practice it often comes up in negotiation.
What you have to tell the buyer
Queensland's seller disclosure rules changed on 1 August 2025, when the new seller disclosure statement became mandatory. Your conveyancer or solicitor prepares it and will tell you what has to be disclosed about the property, including anything electrical. We do not prepare disclosure documents, but we can give you a written report on smoke alarms and safety switches for your conveyancer to use.
What a buyer's building inspector usually flags
Building and pest inspectors are not electricians, but they will note anything that looks old or unsafe. The items that come up most on homes around Redcliffe and Moreton Bay:
- An old switchboard with ceramic (rewireable) fuses and no safety switches
- Smoke alarms that are ionisation type, past their expiry date or not interconnected
- Scorched or loose power points and light switches
- DIY wiring in sheds, garages and under the house
- Outdoor power points and lights that are cracked, corroded or missing covers, which is common close to the water
Any one of these can turn into a price reduction request or a nervous buyer. Most are quick and inexpensive to fix before you list.
A sensible order of work
- Get the smoke alarms compliant first. It is a legal requirement for the sale and usually the cheapest item on the list. See our smoke alarm law guide.
- Check for safety switches on the power circuits. Look at the switchboard for a device marked RCD, RCBO or "safety switch" with a test button. If there is none, or you are not sure, ask us to check.
- Fix anything damaged or scorched. These are the items that worry buyers most.
- Decide on the switchboard. If it is old and full, a quote in hand helps you negotiate, whether you upgrade it or leave it for the buyer. See what changes the price of a switchboard upgrade.
From our job sheets
Pre-sale and compliance work is a regular part of our week across the Redcliffe Peninsula and Moreton Bay. Typical jobs include smoke alarm upgrades to interconnected photoelectric alarms, safety switch testing and replacement, and switchboard upgrades with new safety switches and earthing brought up to current standards. We give you a written record of what we tested and fixed.
What it costs with us
A property electrical safety inspection is from $199 inc GST. Smoke alarm replacement is from $89 inc GST per alarm, and safety switch replacement from $189 inc GST. We quote bigger work in writing before we start. See our smoke alarm service and switchboard upgrades.