#78197
Jimmy-T
Keymaster

    If it is the perceived risk Lithium ion and similar batteries, what is next?.  Banning charging phones, laptops, cordless drills, portable fridges, bluetooth headsets?  They all have batteries.

    Good point. The building next to ours had a fire in their garbage chute which started when someone dropped an old rechargable battery razor down it.

    The only EV car fire I am aware of was caused when someone disconnected the battery in an airport car yard.

    The two flammable cladding unit block fires in Melbourne a few years ago were started by people smoking on their balconies.  Was the cause dealt with?  No, it was the cladding that was banned, not the smoking.

    People will tolerate a huge amount of risk for as long as it’s convenient.  Modern apartment blocks are designed to contain fires to individual apartments or common property areas (although dodgy building practices and human stupidity routinely undermine that).

    Older buildings and free-standing houses are much more at risk.  So evaluate the risk and make everyone aware.  Education is the answer, not legislation.

    The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.