I. Commercial Residential Complexes with Property Management (Applicable to 90% of Urban High-Rise Buildings)

1. Fire hydrants and bulk fire extinguishers in common areas (stairwells, corridors, lobbies & basements fire cabinets)

Legally Responsible Party: Property Service Enterprise
Pursuant to the Regulations on Fire Safety Management of High-Rise Civil Buildings and the Regulations on Property Management of Residential Areas:

1. The property management team shall maintain official ledgers for routine patrols and professional inspections of all fire-fighting equipment.
2. Daily/Weekly Routine Patrols: Inspect fire hydrant water pressure, fire extinguisher pressure gauges, and exterior damage.
3. Annual Comprehensive Inspection: Entrust qualified fire safety inspection institutions to conduct full functional testing on fire hydrant water supply systems and fire extinguisher chemical agent pressure, and retain all official inspection reports for filing.
4. Maintenance & Replacement: The property team shall uniformly repair, refill, or replace defective equipment including underpressured/expired/corroded fire extinguishers and hydrants with insufficient water pressure or missing fittings. All associated costs shall be covered by residential property management fees or the public maintenance fund.
5. Residents and homeowners bear no legal obligation to inspect public-area fire equipment. Their sole statutory duty is to protect such facilities from obstruction or occupation. Residents may document visible damage with photos and submit repair requests to the property management office.

2. Personal fire extinguishers & household escape equipment purchased privately by residents (stored on private balconies or indoors)

Responsible Party: Property Owner / Resident
Property management only oversees shared public facilities. All inspection, refilling, and replacement work for privately purchased household fire safety gear falls entirely to the resident:

Standard dry powder fire extinguishers require chemical refilling every 5 years and full replacement after a 10-year service life. Pressure gauges should be self-checked every 1–2 months.

Personal fire blankets, escape ropes, and smoke masks shall be regularly inspected by residents for material aging and physical damage.

II. Residential Buildings Without Property Management (Aged Self-Managed Dwellings, Company Staff Dormitories, Unmanaged Old Communities)

1. Company staff dormitories: Owned by the enterprise; regular inspection and maintenance shall be undertaken by the company’s logistics or security department.
2. Aged unmanaged residential buildings: All joint homeowners share collective management responsibilities. The neighborhood committee generally coordinates joint inspections with resident representatives. All maintenance and replacement costs for fire equipment are split equally among all households. Community fire safety officers conduct regular site visits to urge rectification of potential hazards.

III. Detached Private Houses & Villas (Independent property, no shared public corridors)

The property owner holds full responsibility for regular self-inspection, maintenance, and replacement of all on-site fire safety equipment, including yard fire hydrants and personal fire extinguishers. Fire safety supervision authorities will hold the property owner directly accountable for any identified hazards during official audits.

IV. Mixed-Use Commercial Apartments, Office Towers & Retail Stores

1. Fire hydrants and fire extinguishers on shared floors: Managed and inspected periodically by the property management or commercial operation company.
2. Fire extinguishers purchased for individual retail shops or office units: The store operator or corporate management bears full responsibility for regular inspection and chemical refilling.

V. Oversight & Regulatory Accountability (Supervising Compliance of Inspection Protocols)

Local Fire and Rescue Brigades, sub-district emergency management offices, and community safety officers conduct quarterly and annual random fire safety audits:

1. If public fire equipment in residential compounds is missing, damaged, or left unmaintained for extended periods, the property management will receive a mandatory rectification notice. Failure to complete required repairs within the deadline will result in administrative penalties.
2. For detached houses and retail premises with expired or defective fire equipment, fire officials will directly summon the property owner or business operator to enforce hazard correction.

Supplementary FAQs by Sinowoan (中加沃安)

Q1: Who should residents contact if corridor fire hydrants run dry or fire extinguishers expire?

First, reach out to the property management front desk or on-site security team. If the property fails to resolve the issue, submit a complaint via the 12345 Government Service Hotline or the 96119 Fire Hazard Reporting Hotline, which will trigger formal supervision and rectification by fire safety authorities.

Q2: Does property management have the authority to mandate household fire extinguishers and conduct in-home inspections?

No. Privately owned indoor fire safety equipment is personal property. Property management may only distribute informational recommendations and cannot force entry into private residences for mandatory inspections. The property only holds legal authority to manage and inspect fire safety facilities located in shared public corridors and common areas.