WA Rental Security Standards: What Landlords Must Provide
Does your WA rental meet minimum security standards? Check the rules for door locks, windows, entry lighting, RCDs and smoke alarms landlords must provide.
You own a rental property with locks on every door.
So the property meets WA’s security requirements.
Right?
Not necessarily.
Western Australia has minimum security requirements for residential rental properties covering much more than whether the front door can be locked.
Depending on the property, landlords need to consider:
- the type of lock on the main entrance;
- other external doors;
- accessible windows;
- lighting at the main entrance;
- smoke alarms; and
- residual current devices, better known as RCDs or safety switches.
Some requirements are surprisingly specific.
A normal key-lockable door handle, for example, does not necessarily satisfy the minimum standard for the main entrance.
For landlords, these aren’t cosmetic upgrades or optional extras.
They form part of providing a rental home that meets WA’s minimum safety and security standards. Rental home safety; Rental home security
Important: This article provides general information about residential tenancies in Western Australia and is not legal advice. Requirements can depend on the property and circumstances, so check current WA Consumer Protection and Building and Energy guidance where necessary.
Who is responsible for rental property security?
The landlord.
WA Consumer Protection says landlords are responsible for ensuring rental premises have the required minimum level of security.
Landlords must also provide and maintain the locks and security devices required at the property. Rental home security
Tenants have responsibilities too.
For example, tenants must return keys and security devices at the end of the tenancy and ordinarily need permission before changing or adding security devices.
But the basic statutory security standard is not something a landlord can simply shift onto the tenant.
What lock does the front door of a WA rental need?
The main entry door must have a key-lockable door and meet one of the prescribed security options.
Consumer Protection says the minimum requirement is either:
- a deadlock; or
- an AS 5039-2008 compliant key-lockable security screen door. Rental home security
The deadlock can be either single-cylinder or double-cylinder.
A single-cylinder deadlock can be opened from inside using a handle or knob, allowing occupants to leave quickly in an emergency.
The deadlock can also be separate from the normal door handle or incorporated into the handset. Rental home security
The practical point for landlords is simple:
Don’t inspect the front door and stop at “it has a lock.”
Check what kind of lock it actually has.
What about the other external doors?
Other external doors also need appropriate security.
The minimum standard is generally one of:
- a deadlock;
- a patio bolt where a deadlock cannot be installed; or
- an AS 5039-2008 compliant key-lockable security screen door.
Consumer Protection says a patio bolt used in these circumstances does not have to be key-lockable. Rental home security
This can apply to doors such as:
- rear doors;
- laundry doors;
- side entrances; and
- accessible external sliding doors.
Don’t assume the front entrance is the only door that matters.
Walk around the property from the outside and ask:
Could someone reasonably access the house through this door?
If so, check its security.
Do rental property windows need locks?
Accessible windows need to be secured against being opened from outside.
But that does not mean every window needs an expensive keyed lock.
Consumer Protection says an openable window can comply using a working:
- latch;
- closer; or
- lock.
A window fitted with an AS 5039-2008 compliant security screen does not require an additional window lock. Rental home security
This is an important distinction.
The objective is to prevent the window being opened from outside.
It isn’t necessarily to make every window key-operated.
What about louvre windows?
Louvres deserve their own mention because older WA homes commonly have them.
Consumer Protection says louvred windows must have a working lock.
Where they do not, another mechanism must be installed that locks the lever in the fully closed position. Rental home security
For an older investment property, this is worth checking during your next inspection rather than discovering the problem after a tenant raises it.
Does every upstairs window need a lock?
No.
The rules take accessibility into account.
Consumer Protection says windows that cannot easily be accessed from outside do not require locks.
Similarly, apartments above ground level still require an appropriate main-entry lock, but windows only require the security standard where they can be easily reached — for example, from a public access way. Rental home security
A balcony that can only be accessed from inside the dwelling also does not require the same external security treatment.
The question is therefore not simply:
What floor is the window on?
It is:
Can somebody reasonably access it from outside?
Does a WA rental need an exterior light?
Yes, in most ordinary rental homes.
There must be at least one electrical light:
- at or near the main entrance;
- capable of illuminating the main entrance; and
- operable from inside the home. Rental home security
There is an important exception for some strata properties.
Where the property is a flat or apartment and the relevant lighting is the responsibility of the strata body, this requirement does not apply to the individual landlord in the same way. Rental home security
For a house, however, the front light is not merely convenient.
Make it part of your compliance check.
How many RCDs does a WA rental need?
A WA rental home must have two RCDs installed on the switchboard before it can be leased. Rental home safety
An RCD is a safety device designed to rapidly disconnect electricity when it detects an electrical fault.
Tenants should test the RCDs approximately every three months and tell the landlord if one does not operate.
Consumer Protection says a faulty RCD must be replaced immediately. Rental home safety
For landlords, an RCD check is an easy item to add to routine inspection procedures.
You do not need to wait until a tenancy changes before noticing that something is wrong.
What are the smoke alarm requirements?
Rental homes must have compliant smoke alarms.
Consumer Protection’s current guidance says smoke alarms must:
- comply with applicable building laws;
- be less than 10 years old;
- be in working order; and
- ordinarily be permanently connected to mains power. Rental home safety
The landlord is responsible for ensuring the smoke alarms remain compliant.
Consumer Protection also states that all types of smoke alarms must be replaced when they reach 10 years of age. Smoke alarm laws for homes being sold, rented and hired; Renting out your property - A landlord’s guide (April 2026)
That last point is easy to overlook.
An alarm can appear perfectly functional when you press the test button and still require replacement because it has reached its prescribed service life.
Are battery-powered smoke alarms allowed?
Only in particular circumstances.
Consumer Protection says approved battery-powered alarms may be used where mains-powered alarms cannot be installed because there is no hidden space to run the necessary electrical wiring — examples include some concrete ceilings and flat-roof situations. Rental home safety; Renting out your property - A landlord’s guide (April 2026)
This is not a general option to avoid having an electrician install a mains-powered alarm.
Where mains-powered alarms are required, electrical connection and disconnection must be handled appropriately by a licensed electrical contractor. Smoke alarm laws for homes being sold, rented and hired
Who changes the smoke alarm battery?
This depends on the alarm and accessibility.
Consumer Protection says tenants are only responsible for changing an ordinary 9-volt battery where the alarm is easily accessible.
They are not responsible where the alarm is difficult to reach, such as on a high ceiling or wall. Rental home safety
The landlord remains responsible for maintaining the alarm itself and ensuring it remains compliant.
This is another example of why it is useful to distinguish:
minor occupant maintenance
from
the landlord’s statutory compliance responsibility.
Should landlords check alarms and RCDs during routine inspections?
Absolutely.
Routine inspections aren’t just about checking whether the tenant has vacuumed the carpet.
They are one of the landlord’s best opportunities to identify safety and maintenance issues before they become serious.
A practical inspection should include checking or recording:
- smoke alarm age;
- obvious smoke alarm condition;
- RCD operation;
- front door security;
- other external doors;
- window latches and locks;
- louvre security;
- front entry lighting;
- blind and curtain cord restraints; and
- any newly reported security problem.
Consumer Protection specifically recommends checking safety matters such as pool barriers and blind/curtain cords during property inspections. Rental home safety
The inspection should help protect the property and the people living in it.
What about blind and curtain cords?
Security isn’t the only minimum safety issue landlords should consider.
Loose blind and curtain cords can create a strangulation hazard.
Consumer Protection says landlords must provide a safety device for loose curtain cords and should check internal window coverings during inspections.
Tenants must use the supplied safety devices and tell the landlord if restraints are missing or need replacement. Rental home safety
This requirement applies regardless of whether children currently live at the property.
Are there exemptions from the minimum security standards?
Yes.
Consumer Protection says homes classified as:
- agricultural;
- rural; or
- heritage-listed
are exempt from the prescribed minimum security standards.
But that does not mean these properties can simply be left unsecured.
The landlord must still provide and maintain locks or other devices necessary to make the premises reasonably secure. Rental home security
An exemption from the detailed standard is not an exemption from basic landlord responsibility.
Can a tenant install better locks?
Yes, subject to the rules governing security changes.
A tenant or landlord can change or upgrade security where:
- both parties agree;
- a security device needs replacement; or
- there is another valid reason, such as an emergency or break-in.
Ordinarily, changes should be agreed and documented in writing.
Where a tenant simply wants an upgrade beyond the minimum standard, the tenant generally bears the cost. Rental home security
There are separate protections for tenants affected by family and domestic violence.
What happens in a family and domestic violence situation?
A tenant affected by family violence can change locks without first obtaining the landlord’s permission and must generally pay the cost themselves.
Consumer Protection says the tenant must provide the landlord with copies of the new keys within seven days, unless the landlord is the alleged perpetrator.
The landlord must also not provide those keys to a person the tenant has identified in writing as someone who should not receive them. Rental home security
Landlords should treat these circumstances carefully and use the specific WA safe-tenancy procedures rather than applying ordinary lock-change assumptions.
Can the landlord keep a key?
The landlord must provide the tenant with at least one set of keys, fobs or other devices necessary to operate the property’s locks and security systems.
Additional tenants may be given additional sets where available, and tenants can generally arrange copies at their own expense. Rental home security
Having a landlord key does not, however, create a right to enter whenever you want.
Property security and lawful landlord access are separate issues.
Possessing a key is not permission to use it.
What if a lock breaks during the tenancy?
A broken or rusted lock is ordinarily a landlord maintenance issue rather than tenant damage.
Consumer Protection’s maintenance guidance specifically uses a broken or rusted lock as an example of landlord responsibility.
By contrast, where a tenant loses their key and damages the property breaking in, that damage can be the tenant’s responsibility. Rental home maintenance
A security fault may also become an urgent repair where leaving it unresolved exposes the tenant or property to risk.
Don’t postpone a failed external-door lock until the next routine maintenance visit simply because the door still physically closes.
A practical WA rental security checklist
For a normal house, walk through this checklist before a new tenancy and periodically during inspections.
Main entrance
Is there an appropriate deadlock or compliant key-lockable security screen door?
Other external doors
Do they have the required deadlock, appropriate patio bolt or compliant security screen?
Windows
Can accessible windows be secured against being opened from outside?
Louvres
Can the lever be locked in the fully closed position?
Front lighting
Does an electrical light illuminate the main entrance and operate from inside?
RCDs
Are two RCDs installed and operating?
Smoke alarms
Are they compliant, working and less than 10 years old?
Blind and curtain cords
Are loose cords properly restrained?
Keys and security devices
Does the tenant have the keys, fobs and devices required to operate the property’s security?
Documentation
Have you recorded any repairs or compliance work completed?
This is a much stronger approach than waiting for a tenant to discover each problem individually.
Don’t confuse “secure enough for me” with the minimum standard
Many investment properties were owner-occupied homes before they became rentals.
That creates a common trap.
A landlord may think:
“I lived there for 15 years and that lock was perfectly fine.”
That isn’t the relevant test.
Once a property is offered for residential tenancy, the landlord needs to consider the standards applying to a rental home.
The same principle applies to smoke alarms and RCDs.
These are not questions of personal preference.
They are safety and compliance matters.
For a self-managing landlord, the easiest approach is to make them part of a repeatable property process:
check before leasing → record at the start → inspect periodically → repair faults promptly → retain evidence.
Five minutes spent checking locks, alarms, RCDs and the front light during an inspection is considerably easier than discovering a compliance problem after a break-in, electrical incident or fire.
For the current requirements, see WA Consumer Protection — Rental home security and WA Consumer Protection — Rental home safety. Rental home safety; Rental home security
Managing your own WA rental? Explore LandlordLogic’s practical guides and free resources for inspections, repairs, notices, security, evidence and end-of-tenancy administration — so compliance becomes a checklist rather than a surprise.