Fire Sprinklers Forced upon Tenants

fishka2 on 20/11/2024 - 18:44
Last edited 20/11/2024 - 19:52 by 1 other user

Our landlord who also owns the building, suddenly decided to install fire sprinklers in all residential apartments.

This happened after a relatively small fire incident in the building. Mind you we already have a sophisticated fire system including centralised smoke and temperature sensors.

Can they even force it on us? I’ve never seen sprinklers anywhere apart from commercial or common areas. In my opinion it’s ugly and flooding danger. One thing is when alarm starts shouting on every meal preparation, the other is when you get flooded if there’s malfunction.

Any specialist advice would be appreciated.

Home & Garden Fire Extinguisher

Comments

  • Porker on 20/11/2024 - 18:47
    +29

    This happened after a relatively small fire incident in the building

    Small fires can turn into big fires - big fires can kill buildings and people.

    • spackbace on 20/11/2024 - 18:49
      +26

      Blame big fire

      • Yummy on 20/11/2024 - 18:59

        I would blame the marshmallow and those campers.

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 20/11/2024 - 22:07

        Big fire in the Big Smoke!

    • freefall101 on 20/11/2024 - 19:22
      +12

      Luckily everyone in London who remembers that small bakery fire that turned into a big fire has been dead for 400 years, otherwise this post would be really triggering them.

      • EightImmortals on 21/11/2024 - 08:05
        +2

        shh before one of their descendants starts on about 'compensation'.

        • Tiller76 on 21/11/2024 - 12:13

          Should not have been down voted!!!!!!

        • bobbieb on 22/11/2024 - 13:57

          Genetic trauma FTW baby… shut up and give me money!

      • Bren20 on 22/11/2024 - 10:40
        +2

        Grenfell was a bit more recent

  • altomic on 20/11/2024 - 19:04
    +26

    sprinkler systems don't accidentally "go off"

    Can they even force it on us???

    they can't force you to stay if you are so opposed to <checks notes> the owner installing a fire deterrent system to stop the building going up in flames and the residents potentially perishing in that fire.

    • AustriaBargain on 22/11/2024 - 13:16
      +2

      In the movies you just need to hold a cigarette lighter under one of the sprinklers and then every sprinkler in the building goes off, showering everyone with perfectly clear and clean water.

      • Bottom G on 22/11/2024 - 15:00
        +5

        ULPT: Save on your water bill by setting off your apartment sprinkler so you can have a shower and do your washing under it

        • Succulent on 22/11/2024 - 16:13
          -1

          If you are renter you most likely do not pay water bill in apartment set up anyway. Its a water usage buffet.

          If you are owner, the sprinkle water come for reservoir stored in the building. After those being emptied out through fire sprinkle events, it will be filled again and the bill is charged to strata, which will may result in higher future levy. Nothing is free my friend..

      • Caped Baldy on 22/11/2024 - 16:35
        +1

        I read a story of someone using a sprinkler as a hook for their hanger. They broke the small glass vial and water went everywhere.

        • MrFrugalSpend on 22/11/2024 - 23:26
          +1

          yeah, I've done the whole using the sprinker as a hook point (without breaking it) at a hotel with low ceiling height in the bathroom (as they often have)… then I realised how stupid I was as I took it back off, and lucky to have not caused an incident. Not a good idea.

  • Drakesy on 20/11/2024 - 19:09
    +25

    This is my 2 cents
    The landlord has undertaken a fire risk study which has recommended these along with other items.
    If the building burns down and kills someone and the landlord's on the hook for negligence given they were recommended the improvements.

    If it's 3 stories or more then it's mandatory, anything less and it's a nice to have.

    Notably this only applies to New buildings.

    Personally i'd like a proactive landlord, admittedly it may be quite disruptive.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 21/11/2024 - 00:02

      Yes but that 3 stories or more is only new after NCC 2019 if my memory serves me correctly it was 25m or more before that or a carpark fire compartment of more than 40 cars, and yes they don't have to retrospectively install it if it wasn't on the building approval then…

      Alternatively, the building may have a now non-compliant combustible / toxic cladding, which is a retrospective code change that requires a fire safety assessment by a fire engineer mandated by safer buildings provisions on existing buildings after Grenfell tower and Melbourne fires. Immediate rectification is not necessarily mandatory but disclosure is and it then does present a liability question until rectified.

      However the more likely scenario is the insurer has reviewed it post-fire or asked for a fire engineer review, and based on that said they will jack the premiums up significantly after a fire claim, if they didn't install them to reduce it back down.

      • AustriaBargain on 22/11/2024 - 13:16

        Perhaps it pays for itself in lower insurance premiums after x number of years. And perhaps the building owner just couldn't live with himself if someone in his building died in a fire. I mean, there's no way to know, I suppose OP could try to befriend the owner and ask. Are landed gentry in Australia even allowed to be friends with renters though 🤔

        • MrFrugalSpend on 22/11/2024 - 23:22

          Perhaps not friends, but could be seen as "community consultation" of the peasants … a bit of P.R. from the house of the Land Lord ?!

          :-p

    • Succulent on 22/11/2024 - 16:16

      Or they just simply didnt pass the annual fire check or after the fire brigade visit from the previous small fire event, so the landlord is now forced to do so.

  • Gunnar on 20/11/2024 - 19:11
    +18

    You should take that to the Civil and Administrative tribunal of the state you’re in for their input. If you receive anything more than laughter you’ve done well

    • Tommyaka on 21/11/2024 - 09:19
      +5

      The audacity of a landlord installing a standard fire control mechanism in a bid to protect their property and their tenants.

  • sumyungguy on 20/11/2024 - 19:13
    +3

    Sprinkler systems are supported by fire services in all jurisdictions; e.g. in NSW The combined damage from a fire and the water
    firefighters use to extinguish it, is significantly higher than the damage when a properly installed sprinkler system is used.

    • MrFrugalSpend on 21/11/2024 - 00:08
      +1

      Exactly, contrary to what you see in movies, most systems (if not all in residential) don't just flood the entire building because smoke is detected! When fire raises the heat near a sprinkler head hot enough, a component inside it reacts, either melting or breaking the plug such as an alcohol-filled glass tube (the little red mercury thermometer type thing in a sprinkler head) and the stopper pops out to allow the valve to spray water where it is hot enough for this to occur.

  • MS Paint on 20/11/2024 - 19:18
    +12

    @Sye

    I think we know which tenant started the fire.

    • spackbace on 20/11/2024 - 19:33
      +16

      OP didn't start the fire
      It was always burning
      Since the world's been turning

      • MS Paint on 20/11/2024 - 19:45
        +7

        I'm thinking it was that dude heating the hot coals over the cooktop for wonderful winter warmth in the living area.

        • blitz on 20/11/2024 - 20:37
          +1

          I sang this as the next line in the song and it actually works quite well

          • MS Paint on 20/11/2024 - 21:35

            @blitz: It was that dude heating
            the hot coals over the cooktop
            for wonderful winter warmth
            in the living area.

            verse

            • pegaxs on 21/11/2024 - 08:31

              @MS Paint: That dude was heating
              Hot coals over the cooktop
              Wonderful winter warmth

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 20/11/2024 - 22:10

        Random tenant:
        Hey, hey, hey
        I'm a fire starter, twisted fire starter
        Hey, hey, hey

        • EightImmortals on 21/11/2024 - 08:07
          +1

          The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
          The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire
          We don't need no water, let the mother'ker burn
          Burn, mother'ker, burn

      • Speckled Jim on 21/11/2024 - 11:29

        Now I'm hanging ten now, baby
        As I ride your sonic wave
        Good God, y'all!

        I'm on fire

  • mbck on 20/11/2024 - 19:22
    +15

    Are you sure theyre sprinklers? Maybe theyre localised 5g modems that actually reads your minds and give you random horny thoughts throughout the day.

    • CalmLemons on 22/11/2024 - 18:28
      +1

      Yes we had these installed at work. Team cohesion is up 400%.

  • BillyStm on 20/11/2024 - 19:23
    +7

    Id be more concerned why smoke alarms go off for you every meal preparation….might need to look into those preparations accordingly.
    The funny thing about sprinklers is if there's no smoke, there's no fire and therefore they don't activate!

  • justworld on 20/11/2024 - 19:34

    Yeah let's get the landlord to deactivate the sprinklers. When there's a fire that kills you, I'm sure your estate won't then sue the landlord for having taken insufficient steps to discharge his duty as an occupier.

  • pjetson on 20/11/2024 - 19:38
    +5

    The funny thing about sprinklers is if there's no smoke, there's no fire

    Sprinklers are activated by heat, not smoke.

    • BillyStm on 20/11/2024 - 20:20
      +1

      Im aware of that, and heat is produced by fire…

      • brendanm on 20/11/2024 - 22:25

        He's pointing out that you said they are activated by smoke.

  • mapax on 20/11/2024 - 19:52
    +2

    I’ve never seen sprinklers anywhere apart from commercial or common areas. In my opinion it’s ugly and flooding danger

    My apartment building was built around 2008 and has sprinklers in each of the apartments and in the carpark.

    To my knowledge it has only leaked once in the car park and there was one flood when the sprinklers activated in an apartment that caused severe water damage to a heap of apartments and caused multiple ceiling collapses on multiple floors below. But that sprinkler was damaged when something was thrown and hit it.

    • chaise-COMBATwhen on 20/11/2024 - 21:46

      In our apartment building (built around 2022) we have 5 levels and a carpark.

      The sprinkler system was already there when I started renting, but I suspect it was foisted on the previous tenants. It hardly ever goes off. Only in the presence of heat. The sprinkler ran unchecked in a neighbours apartment whilst they were on holidays causing the ceiling to collapse onto the unsuspecting tenants below. We all thought it was funny, in retrospect it was surprising.

      • kiitos on 21/11/2024 - 08:02
        +2

        What causing the sprinkler to go off?

  • plmko on 20/11/2024 - 20:24

    Specialist advice: GTFO out of that apartment and buy your own home.

  • wetsandwich on 20/11/2024 - 22:10

    They probably realised the sprinklers have to legally be there and the fire nearly cost them their entire life savings because insurance wouldn't have covered it.

    No, you can't argue against a safety feature that pretty much HAS to be installed to allow you to keep living there (I may be wrong, but I've never seen any apartment without sprinklers)

  • elgrande on 20/11/2024 - 22:27
    +5

    My last appartment had sprinklers.

    Tip: shower under sprinkler for reduced water bill. Goes well with park bbq's.

  • Caped Baldy on 20/11/2024 - 23:35
    +1

    Alternatively, my landlord knew the risks of fire in my apartment block but didn't install sprinklers.

  • Randxyz123 on 21/11/2024 - 01:27

    Look at incidents like the one in London a few years ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire

    There were no sprinklers and look what happened. It is not normal for them to go off regularly.

  • HeWhoKnows on 21/11/2024 - 08:24
    -6

    LETS REMIND OP THAT YOU DONT OWN THE PROPERTY

    You dont get to chose what improvements are made for your conveneince and safety.

    Some are governed by law as may be the case here

    And now some expert advice for you

    STOP COMPLAINING

    You obviously have a very responsible landlord so be happy for that!

    If you dont like whats happening move elsewhere!

    FUTHER EXPERT ADVICE

    Pull this ridiculous post down as you are just embarrassing yourself

    • rumblytangara on 22/11/2024 - 15:29
      +1

      Pull this ridiculous post down as you are just embarrassing yourself

      THROWS STONES IN A GLASS HOUSE.

      Every time YOU POST ON THOS FORUM you are EMBARRASSING YOURSELF.

  • Odin on 21/11/2024 - 09:12
    -4

    There are multiple ways to meet the fire code

    This is one of them.

    Yes, it's dumb.

    The fire code gets applied retrospectively, so you get old buildings never built with the current code in mind having to be brought up to 2024 standards. Often it's impossible so you get compromises like sprinklers inside units.

    It sucks

    But that's what living in strata is like

  • JIMB0 on 21/11/2024 - 10:12
    +5

    What a horrible person the landlord is for spending all this money just to piss you off.

    • Tiller76 on 21/11/2024 - 12:15

      Is the "piss you off" considered a gift with purchase?

  • Jake D on 21/11/2024 - 13:21
    +1

    landlord who also owns the building

    Is there another type of landlord?

    • surg3on on 22/11/2024 - 16:27

      Mafia types?

    • YoursTruly on 22/11/2024 - 17:11

      Is there another type of landlord?

      A landlord (or lady) who owns part of a building. i.e An apartment or three in the building; The roof top gym club; The shopfronts in the ground level; The stray kittens and mom cat under the stairs; The leaking cow in the basement; etc, etc (you get the idea)

  • 2esc on 21/11/2024 - 19:21

    Another bloody evil landlord how dare they think about the safety of the residents!

  • Poor Ass on 22/11/2024 - 10:53

    don't think you have a say in the matter

    would you rather get kicked out at the end of your tenancy or stay?

  • JimB on 22/11/2024 - 11:25
    +3

    In other news

    "100 dead. Cheapskate landlord ignores recommendation/requirement to install sprinklers"

  • Davo1111 on 22/11/2024 - 13:47
    +1

    Sprinklers require heat for the vile to burst and go off. Or they get hit by a car, breaking the vile.

    Its unlikely the one in your apartment is just going to explode.

    I think it's more likely your washing machine hose splits and floods the place.

    • banana365 on 22/11/2024 - 14:29

      *vial

      If your sprinkler gets hit by a car, you've got bigger issues than getting wet. That said, I've seen a bit of a spate of cars embedded in the side of houses recently so maybe that risk is greater than many think.

  • bobbieb on 22/11/2024 - 14:00

    LOL… how dare that evil, greedy landlord install unsightly, potentially life saving equipment.

  • karimaka on 22/11/2024 - 15:14

    Chances are, your landlord did not suddenly decide to install fire sprinklers.

    The little fire incident might have triggered something, eg. council order, order from fire authority to conduct some sort of audit that perhaps forced your landlord to install fire sprinklers.

    I dare say some engineering was done based on your building materials, size layout etc and they have come to a conclusion that your existing fire detection system is inadequate and more likely than not retrofitting the sprinkler system may be the most cost effective way to resolve this order.

    This will cost your landlord quite a bit of money. Be thankful that this may save your life.

  • YoursTruly on 22/11/2024 - 17:05

    That’s a smart landlord/ building owner.

    Protecting his property and ensuring it minimises chances of it and its residents going up in flames.

    Chances is this isn’t a ‘sudden’ decision - must have taken a study and that solution was recommended.

    Look at it this way:
    He’s not forcing you to stay if you want to ‘suddenly’ leave.

    If you owned such a property - I bet you’d understand wanting to ensure it doesn’t evaporate in minutes because of a careless occupant.

  • CommuterPolluter on 22/11/2024 - 17:12
    +1

    Can they even force it on us? I’ve never seen sprinklers anywhere apart from commercial or common areas. In my opinion it’s ugly and flooding danger. One thing is when alarm starts shouting on every meal preparation, the other is when you get flooded if there’s malfunction.

    The sprinklers are fitted with glass vials designed to explode when heated to a certain temperatures. They will only activate when heated to that temperature by hot air in a fire or if mechanically abused (e.g. by clumsy removalists). It is impossible to manually activate them or otherwise connect them to a fire detection system. They’re unlikely to spontaneously fail, flooding your apartment.

    I used to live in an apartment with them it was fine. We smoked, drank, popped champagne; no issues. You should probably consider getting a renters insurance policy which covers accidental damage, or get the owner to agree to wear such costs. Wouldn’t want to break one and be on the hook for $50k of water damage.

  • Daniel Plainview on 23/11/2024 - 16:28

    Can they force it on you? No, as if you don't like it you can vote with your feet and relocate to another property without such potentially life saving features.

    Coming soon…."I insist my property owner installs fire sprinklers, can I make them do this for me." As others have said they're very safe and save lives, particularly in high density living.

    Read up on them as this is a good thing for you and your families welfare. :-)

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