Fire safety for renters and landlords

Smoke Alarms

All residential rental units need to have working smoke alarms. 

If you rent your home, your landlord must install and test smoke alarms in your building. They need to test the alarms every year and keep a record for Fire Inspectors to review when asked. Every unit needs at least one working 10-year lithium battery smoke alarm or hardwired smoke alarm.  

Acceptable smoke alarms must:  

  • be hardwired (have permanent connections to an electrical circuit with no disruption between the over-current device and the smoke alarm) or be powered by a ten-year lithium battery.  

  • be approved by the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. 

If you have an approved hardwired smoke alarm, you cannot replace it with a smoke alarm powered any other way (including batteries).  

Unless a building owner or representative is repairing or replacing a smoke alarm, no one can damage, tamper with, destroy, disconnect, or remove an approved smoke alarm after it is installed.  

Landlord or building owner responsibilities 

Call 311 if your landlord doesn’t repair or replace a broken or missing smoke alarm within 24 hours. 

Under the Fire Prevention By-Law, your landlord must:  

  • Ensure your smoke alarm is always working.  

  • Test and clean the alarm at least once each year and keep a log of all tests. They must give this log to the Fire Inspector when asked.  

  • Test the smoke alarm whenever a new tenant moves in.  

  • Replace a smoke alarm that is not working within 24 hours of being notified or finding out about it. 

  •  Report a person who has tampered with a smoke alarm or fire safety equipment to the Fire Prevention Branch at WFPS.  

Tenant responsibilities 

Tenants play an important role in fire safety. 

  • Never tamper with a smoke alarm. It’s against the law and you can be charged or fined under the Fire Prevention By-law. Your landlord can give you five days’ notice to move if you are caught tampering with an alarm. 

  • Test your alarm every month 

  • Learn how to use the pause, hush, or silence button in case your alarm sounds for burnt food or another incorrect reason. 

  • Plan and practice your home escape and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do in case of a fire. 

This checklist contains basic requirements for converted residential dwellings, apartment buildings, and high-rise apartment buildings. It is not a complete list but is a good starting place. Always check the Manitoba Building Code, Manitoba Fire Code, and the Fire Prevention By-law for full information.

Access and egress

  • The building's address must be visible from the road and lane, clear of trees and other obstructions. 
  • You must have clear access to exits.
  • Corridors, stairs, and exits cannot be obstructed and they must be in good repair. Exit signs and lighting should be visible and illuminated.
  • Fire doors, including stairwell doors, must not be blocked or wedged open. They must have closures and no wedges to hold open fire-rated doors.
  • Fire escapes and balconies must be maintained in good condition and provide a safe means of egress or area of refuge.
  • Fire separations must have no holes or openings that compromise their purpose.

Fire drills and plans

  • Fire evacuation plans and procedures must be complete, up-to-date, and prominently posted on each floor.
  • Fire separations must have no holes or openings that compromise their purpose.
  • Emergency lighting may or may not be required.
    • Emergency lights may be provided by battery packs with remote and attached heads, or by emergency generators that will illuminate specified fixtures or remote light heads.
    • Emergency lights must be operational with no visible damage, with heads aimed in proper direction, and serviced and tagged annually by a certified technician.

Alarms

  • Fire alarm systems must have a working A/C power-on bulb and be in good working condition with no audible or visual damage.
  • Fire alarm systems must have a current service label (within the last 12 months).
  • 10-year lithium battery powered smoke alarms or hardwired smoke alarms should be installed serving all sleeping areas and may require a pause or silence feature.

Portable fire extinguishers must be

  • located adjacent to corridors or aisles that provide access to exits.
  • mounted in a visible location.
  • accessible.
  • serviced and tagged at least once every 12 months by a certified technician.
  • full and functioning (no damage, corrosion, leaks malfunctioning parts or clogged nozzles).
  • rated to a minimum of 2A-10BC.

Electrical and heating safety

  • Electrical system must be maintained and in good condition.
  • Appliances must have proper electrical service.
  • Use of extension cords must be kept to a minimum and not overloaded.
  • Portable heaters must be an approved type and kept away from combustibles.

Housekeeping

Storage 

  • No storage of propane or flammable or combustible liquids.  
  • All storage should be fire-separated from the rest of the building.

Garbage disposals

  • Commercial containers must be located three (3) meters from combustible buildings and away from windows or building openings.
  • If they're inside, commercial containers must have tight-fitting lids and be in fire separated rooms.

Laundry rooms

  • Doors should be kept closed at all times
  • Dryer lint trap should be cleaned out after each use
  • Dryer venting should be cleaned annually or as required.
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