(A) The owner of a dwelling shall be responsible for supplying and installing, in an operable condition, the required detector(s) and for providing maintenance and testing in an owner-occupied residence or for providing the manufacturer’s maintenance and testing instructions to a tenant in the case of rental property.
(B) The owner of a dwelling shall be responsible for maintenance and testing of detectors, in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions, which are located in common areas and/or detectors in rooming units where the tenant usually has short periods of occupancy (hotels, motels, rooming or tourist homes).
(C) (1) The tenant shall be responsible for maintaining and testing the detectors, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, which are within his or her exclusive control during the life of the tenancy.
(2) The tenant shall be responsible for notifying the owner when a detector becomes inoperable, whereafter the owner has 48 hours in which to repair or replace the detector(s).
(3) In the battery-operated type of detectors, battery replacement shall be the responsibility of the tenant.
(D) At every change of tenancy, it shall be the duty of the owner to test and ascertain that those detectors contained in the unit are in operable condition and, if not, the owner shall be responsible for placing them in operable condition.
(E) (1) At every change of occupancy of every dwelling unit occasioned by or incidental to a sale, lease or sublease of the unit, it shall be the duty of the grantor thereof (i.e., the seller, lessor or sublessor, as the case may be) to provide, before occupancy, to the new occupant that all smoke detectors required by this section (other applicable laws) are installed and in proper working condition.
(2) Failure to comply with this division (E) shall be punishable as set forth herein; provided, however, that, this division (E) shall not be construed to violate or render void any contract, lease or sublease subject hereto.
(F) No smoke detector or alternative system shall be directly connected (permanently wired) to the electrical system of a structure without the proper electrical certification.
(1995 Code, § 8.36.040)