Getting fleeced for the fire safety statement (AFSS)?

My uncle owns a 2 story building but does not speak english very well. The real estate agent told him that the site needed to an AFSS for 2024 and that he knew someone that could do it. After the inspection, the company said it was non compliant and needed some installments to make it up to code. Since my uncle was scared of getting fined, he agreed for the works to go ahead.

This is the break down of the costs (all gst inclusive):

Room 1: $1620 for replacement fire extinguisher and signage, new fire blanket, fit 2 exit and 2 emergency lights.

Room 2: $1800 for 2 fire extinguishers, 3 emergency lights, 2 exit signs

Room 3: 1880 for new fire blanket, 1 exit sign and 3 emergency lights

Room 4: 1900 for 3 new emergency lights and 2 exit signs

Room 5: 2100 for replace flickering exit sign, replace 1 1x2ft and 1 x 4emergency fluro, add 2 emergency lights and 1 exit sign.

Garage: 280 for 1 emergency light

Total: $9,300

I am wondering if they are over charging as it looks quite excessive. They have already completed the works and are now demanding the money. I told my uncle not to pay yet to see if we can negotiate the costs down or something. What do you think will be the best steps to reduce the costs?

Comments

  • +13

    The time to ask was before the work was done, not after.

    Did your uncle get a quote up front, or an agreement of some sort?

  • Seems high given the retail price of extinguishers and fire blankets and the lights. Depends on difficulties with installation and whether additional wiring was needed. Ask for a more detailed breakdown. The garage light at $280 seems about right although if they were already on the premises then they should allow any amount for a call out fee (or at least not the full allowance)

    https://fireextinguisherservices.com.au/exit-lighting/

    • -2

      You are way off the mark.
      This is not a DIY RETAIL job.
      You pay for expert advice, service, acquisition, installation and compliance. etc.
      Comment hence has little relevance.

  • +6

    What do you think will be the best steps to reduce the costs?

    Get multiple quotes before getting work done.

    You (well, your uncle) is past this point and already agreed to the work and the quote provided prior.
    So unless the work was not as described or of poor quality, you should be paying the invoice

  • +13

    The real estate agent told him that the site needed to an AFSS for 2024 and that he knew someone….

    I always thought that it was universal knowledge (regardless of where someone is from) to never ever trust anything that comes out of a real estate agent's mouth…

    • Not universally true, having boutique (read: more expensive) property managers engaged I've been given on occasion cheaper rates for jobs through companies they have on their books that I've been able to source myself.

  • +2

    Lazy Egg
    Member Since
    05/12/2019
    Last Seen
    41 min ago
    Statistics
    1 posts / 1 comments

    1 comment and this post in almost 5 years, username checks out…

  • +1

    Is this a hotel????

    • +5

      Sounds to me like his uncle's brothel wasn't up to code

      • +2

        Maybe it was the element of danger while getting their rocks off that drew in the customers.

        • +2

          Hey uncle, your girls are on fire today.

      • +3

        Lip balm distribution centre.

    • +7

      have 0 extinguishers, blankets, signage and emergency lights…

      Lucky for you, OP knows a REA who knows someone.

    • +1

      You don't have a commercial slum boarding house

    • I own a 3 bedroom 2 story house and have 0 extinguishers, blankets, signage and emergency lights…

      If you are in a residential house occupied by a family then all you need is smoke detectors in the hall way outside of bedrooms. If it is built in the last 20 years mains otherwise can be battery.

      The rules are in National Construction Code (you can download for free).

      OP probably have an office building.

      If you operate a rooming house (many rooms with individual tenants) you have to check with your local council as there is council requirements and NCC requirements.

  • +1

    Works done. The end. Pay your bills.

  • +1

    Make it a policy to never ask the assessors to also complete the rectification work. Tell them that also from the beginning (also make sure they get you an itemized requirement)

    You'd be surprised how even the experts might be either incompetent or lining their own pockets. My story below with architects, engineers pretending they know what the council is saying on a planning permit and civil design requirements.

    My architect on my rear unit asked me to get his recommended engineer to do drainage plan for my rear unit and get it council approved. I looked it up on the council website and it said 2 dwellings on property don't need council civil design approval. Gave them link and screen shot, engineer wrote back the building surveyor will want it. I rang planning and they said none of the conditions required civil design approval. They have generic notes. Then I called civil design and sent them email with my planning permit and they came back to confirm you don't need an engineer to do your drainage, just make sure it is connected to the legal point of discharge. Saved myself $2k.

    • +1

      not surprised at all
      have seen many professionals with letters after their name, many years experience, all licences etc be complete idiots (this includes white collar also)

    • -1

      My architect on my rear unit

      Smirk, snigger……

      • -1

        drainage plan for my rear unit

        • Keep it civil!

  • Every time we get an AFSS they come back with ridiculously overpriced quotes.

    EG: $120 parts plus 1 hours labour ($190) for a $30 smoke detector. This probably fair if it's a single detector but it's usually 3 or 4 in the complex and they take a maximum of 20 minutes to replace.

    $250 for a 9kg fire extinguisher that is $100 at Bunnings.

    They wanted $1600 to inspect (not service) our carpark exhaust fan. I asked for their inspection sheet and 75% was N/A to our installation. I wrote the report for them and got them down to $300 which was still expensive.

    Don't be afraid to question them on their pricing and go elsewhere for repairs. You will still have to pay a re-inspection fee so it's best to have everything in order prior to inspection.

    PS: Your Uncle made a contract with the company. They've done the work and you have to pay. Those prices aren't that bad.

  • He agreed and is now presumably compliant. Surely one of the few perks of paying so much is not having to worry about it. Ask them to clearly document everything they did for him, on paper (or PDF over email or whatever) and look for someone to maintain it cheaper in the future, the documentation of what was done will save more time/money for the new mob.

  • +2

    They have already completed the works and are now demanding the money.

    Please pay now.

    Remember the saying: “Pay the worker his dues before his sweat has dried up”
    Otherwise is utterly unfair, unethical and disheartening for the worker.

    Next time negotiate a better deal before work is done.

  • +1

    You should never agree to works being done without a price upfront, you are asking to be ripped off.

  • -1

    If you are non compliant and there is a fire, your insurance will not cover the damage.
    Just pay the invoice, the building is now compliant and may require annual inspections
    for insurance at minimal cost

  • +1

    It certainly sounds 2 to 3 thousand more than it should have cost but in reality a bit late now. I would be seriously looking at changing real estate agents.

    • You hit the nail on the head. Actually now that I know more information, my uncle is even more stupid. The previous years (2021,2022,2023) we had the AFSS signed off with no issues with the same guy. It wasn't until this year when the real estate agent told us to use a different guy (who also happened to also own an electrical company) that we were hit with a 9k bill. And he still listened to the real eastate agent.

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