NSW Fair Trading: Strata Update about safety in the home

NSW Fair Trading has issued important information about safety in the home

The advice from NSW Fair Trading reminds occupants or lot owners to report any “tingle” or “shock” when touching anything electrical, to a strata manager, strata committee or landlord immediately. They then shift the focus to strata managers, property agents, landlords and the strata committee’s obligation to act on these reports immediately.

NSW Fair Trading’s Strata Update – Important information about safety in the home

If you are an occupant or lot owner and you feel a tingle or shock when touching anything electrical in your home, report it to your strata managing agent, strata committee or landlord straight away – it could indicate a potentially fatal voltage problem.

Strata managers, property agents, landlords and the strata committee have an obligation to act on these reports immediately.

Incident alert
A tenant recently reported intermittent electric shocks to their property manager, to which they did not receive a response. The tenant then engaged a contactor who alerted the electrical network operator, and a voltage of 232 volts on rainwater down pipes plus front and rear awning supports was discovered. In this instance, it was a network issue and was fixed by the operator. Had the problem not been resolved, a fatal incident could have occurred.

Fair Trading Advice to occupants
No matter how minor the tingle, report it immediately and insist that it be investigated.

If you don’t receive a prompt response, contact the electrical network operator directly. All operators will investigate reported public shocks at no cost:

Ausgrid: 13 13 88
Essential Energy: 132 080
Endeavour Energy: 131 003

If your operator does not respond in a timely manner, contact Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) for a free dispute resolution service.

Fair Trading Advice to property managers, strata managing agents, strata committees and landlords
To avoid a potential fatality, every reported electric shock or tingle must be promptly investigated. Never ignore it.

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