What Is an Annual Fire Safety Statement?

If you own or manage a strata or commercial building in NSW, one document matters more than any other for fire compliance: the Annual Fire Safety Statement, or AFSS.

An AFSS is a declaration, lodged with your local council every year, confirming that every fire safety measure in your building has been inspected and performs to the required standard. It includes everything listed on your building's Fire Safety Schedule, such as: Fire panels, sprinklers, hydrants, fire doors, exit lighting. 

It must be assessed by an accredited Fire Safety Practitioner under the NSW Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme.

Who is responsible?

The building owner. In a strata scheme, that means the owners corporation — in practice, the strata committee and strata manager who act on its behalf. The obligation doesn't shift to your fire contractor; it stays with you. What shifts is the work.

What happens if you don't lodge?

• Fines that accumulate weekly while the statement is overdue

• Insurance risk: a fire in a non-compliant building can complicate or void a claim

• Liability for committee members who haven't taken reasonable steps

Why buildings fall behind

Buildings usually fall because of lack of coordination, not neglect. One company inspects, another certifies, someone has to chase the paperwork to council, and a measure that failed inspection stalls the whole statement. Every handover is a place for the schedule to slip.

The simpler way to stay compliance

Local Fire does the AFSS end-to-end, in-house: we inspect every measure on your schedule, certify it with our own accredited practitioners and lodge with council. One provider, one schedule, nothing handed off.

We've been doing it for strata and commercial buildings across Wollongong, the Illawarra and the South Coast for over 20 years.

Due date coming up? Call us or request a quote and we'll take the AFSS off your plate.