ANNUAL FIRE SAFETY STATEMENT (AFSS) CONSULTANCY.
An Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) is a legal requirement under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation in NSW. Every building owner in NSW with essential fire safety measures installed is required by law to maintain those measures and lodge an AFSS with council each year. Equivalent obligations apply in other states under their respective building and planning legislation. The obligation rests with the building owner, not the strata manager, not the fire contractor. If the AFSS is not lodged on time, or if essential fire safety measures are found to be inadequately maintained, council can issue fines or a development control order.
Who We Support
The benefits of expert AFSS management.
What Is an AFSS?
An Annual Fire Safety Statement certifies that all essential fire safety measures in a building, including sprinklers, fire doors, hydrants, exit lighting, smoke detectors and fire stopping, have been maintained and tested to their required standard of performance during the previous 12 months. The required standard of performance is set by the building's original Development Consent, Construction Certificate or any fire safety order issued on the property.
Why AFSS Costs Are Often Inflated
The fire safety maintenance industry has structural problems: repair costs presented at short notice before AFSS sign-off, observations and audits that aren't strictly required, and contractors who use AFSS lodgement as leverage to push unnecessary maintenance work onto owners. EBS Consultants provide independent AFSS consultancy, we act for the building owner. We assess what is actually required under the relevant standard of performance, challenge unnecessary cost items and can sign off the AFSS directly where systems are maintained and compliant.
AFSS Management and Planning
EBS develops a fire safety management plan that covers all essential fire safety measures, sets out a realistic maintenance schedule and documents what must actually be done versus what a contractor is incentivised to sell you.
20-Year Fire Safety Cost Plans
EBS prepares 20-year cost plans covering all essential fire safety measures, expected maintenance intervals and replacement costs. Owners corporations can budget accurately over the long term rather than being confronted with large, unplanned special levies. At EBS, we believe there should be a sinking fund allocation for fire maintenance, as these are recurring repair costs on an annual basis.
Frequently asked questions.
An Annual Fire Safety Statement certifies that all essential fire safety measures in a building, including sprinklers, fire doors, hydrants, exit lighting, smoke detectors and fire stopping, have been maintained and tested to their required standard of performance during the previous 12 months.
The obligation rests with the building owner, not the strata manager, not the fire contractor. If the AFSS is not lodged on time, or if essential fire safety measures are found to be inadequately maintained, council can issue fines or a development control order.
The fire safety maintenance industry has structural problems: repair costs presented at short notice before AFSS sign-off, observations and audits that aren't strictly required, and contractors who use AFSS lodgement as leverage to push unnecessary maintenance work onto owners.
EBS prepares 20-year cost plans covering all essential fire safety measures, expected maintenance intervals and replacement costs. Owners corporations can budget accurately over the long term rather than being confronted with large, unplanned special levies.
Yes. Where systems are maintained and compliant, EBS can sign off the AFSS directly. We assess what is actually required under the relevant standard of performance and can challenge unnecessary cost items.
AFSS DUE FOR RENEWAL?
Talk to our fire safety specialists about managing your Annual Fire Safety Statement, your first consult is free.
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