Essential safety measures (AESMR) inspectors in Melbourne
Compare who audits, who maintains and who does both. Status comes from each firm's own website: 3 independent (they state they don't service or repair), 12 inspect + remediate, and 5 unknown. Prices are shown only where the firm publishes them.
| Firm | Conflict status | Measures covered | Building types | Starting price | Phone | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus BRC (Focus Building Risk and Compliance) 1/387 St Georges Rd, North Fitzroy VIC 3068 | Independent | AESMREgressPassiveFire doorsDetectionSprinklersMechanicalHydrants | Residential strata | From $133/quarter | 1300 362 873 | site ↗ |
| Mabi Services 11 Havelock Rd, Bayswater VIC 3153 | Independent | AESMREgress | Residential strata | Quote required | 1300 762 295 | site ↗ |
| Conti Group Building Consultants 46 Ayr Street, Doncaster VIC 3108 | Independent | Fire doorsLightingExtinguishersHydrantsSprinklersDetectionMechanicalEgress | Residential strataCommercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | 1800 473 764 or (03) 7018 5786 | site ↗ |
| Northern Plains Building Services Not published | Unknown | AESMRPassiveFire doorsDetectionLightingHydrantsMechanical | Commercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseResidential strata | Online AESMR from $200 | 0419 185 790 | site ↗ |
| Stokes Safety Shop 10, 85 Belleview Drive, Sunbury VIC 3429 | Unknown | EgressFire doorsPassive | Not stated | Quote required | 1800 058 342 | site ↗ |
| BW&A Building Surveyors 1/182 Johnston Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 (Melbourne office) | Unknown | AESMR | Commercial / retail | Quote required | 1300 363 487 | site ↗ |
| Part 6 Building Surveyors Melbourne VIC 3000 | Unknown | DetectionLightingSprinklersMechanicalExtinguishersAESMR | Commercial / retail | Quote required | Not published | site ↗ |
| TESG Melbourne office (street address not published on fetched pages) | Unknown | AESMRPassiveDetection | Commercial / retailIndustrial / warehouse | Quote required | 1300 725 797 | site ↗ |
| Compliance Services Australia 2/16-28 Melverton Dr, Hallam VIC 3803 | Inspect + remediate | AESMRLightingDetectionExtinguishersSprinklersHydrantsFire doorsMechanical | Commercial / retailIndustrial / warehouse | Quote required | (03) 9099 8822 | site ↗ |
| Melfire Pty Ltd Macleod VIC | Inspect + remediate | HydrantsSprinklersExtinguishersLightingFire doorsAESMR | Residential strataIndustrial / warehouse | Quote required | 1300 134 971 | site ↗ |
| Tactical Essential Services Suite 680/44 Lakeview Drive, Scoresby VIC 3179 | Inspect + remediate | AESMRSprinklersHydrantsExtinguishersDetectionLightingFire doorsEgressMechanical | Commercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseResidential strata | Quote required | 03 9989 4919 | site ↗ |
| ESM Compliance Not published | Inspect + remediate | AESMREgressPassive | Commercial / retailHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | (03) 9769 7464 | site ↗ |
| FES (Fire Equipment Services) Suite 1, Level 1, 1 Chapel Street, Blackburn VIC 3130 | Inspect + remediate | DetectionSprinklersPassiveLightingEgressFire doorsAESMRExtinguishersHydrants | Industrial / warehouseResidential strataCommercial / retailHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | 1300 855 163 | site ↗ |
| Detector Inspector Not published | Inspect + remediate | AESMREgressPassiveFire doorsMechanicalExtinguishersHydrantsSprinklersDetectionLighting | Residential strataCommercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseHealth, aged care, education | Fire services and audit from $339 +GST p.a. | 1300 134 563 | site ↗ |
| Langford Group Lot 1/31 Macindoe Court, Spotswood VIC 3015; 32 Healey Road, Dandenong South VIC 3175 | Inspect + remediate | DetectionSprinklersHydrantsExtinguishersLightingFire doorsPassiveMechanicalAESMR | Commercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | Not published | site ↗ |
| Fire Rating Solutions 7-11 Cromwell St, Collingwood VIC | Inspect + remediate | PassiveFire doors | Residential strataCommercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | (03) 9419 1393 | site ↗ |
| Q Compliance 28/6-14 Wells Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166 | Inspect + remediate | AESMRPassiveEgress | Not stated | Quote required | 1300 562 385 | site ↗ |
| Firesparx Melbourne VIC | Inspect + remediate | PassiveFire doorsAESMRDetectionSprinklersHydrantsLighting | Residential strataCommercial / retailIndustrial / warehouseHealth, aged care, education | Quote required | 1300 228 632 | site ↗ |
| Dove Passive Fire 23a Carinish Rd, Oakleigh South VIC 3167 | Inspect + remediate | PassiveFire doors | Not stated | Quote required | 03 9558 8410 | site ↗ |
| Melbourne Fire Doors 3-5 Blissington Street, Springvale VIC 3171 | Inspect + remediate | Fire doorsEgressPassive | Not stated | Quote required | (03) 9574 0511 | site ↗ |
“Not stated” means the firm's site doesn't say. It doesn't mean the firm doesn't cover it. Building types are shown only where the site names them.
Decision guide: the AESMR in plain English
What it is
An Annual Essential Safety Measures Report is the owner's yearly statement that every essential safety measure has been inspected, tested and maintained, and still works.[1] Essential safety measures include exit doors, emergency lighting, exit signs, fire doors, extinguishers, detection and alarm systems, hydrants, sprinklers, smoke control and paths of travel to exits.[3] They apply to every building class except houses and outbuildings.[3]
The legal deadline
The owner must ensure the AESMR is prepared within 28 days before each anniversary of the date the first occupancy permit, or maintenance determination, requiring an essential safety measure was issued. For buildings constructed before 1 July 1994, it's due within 28 days before 13 June each year.[1]
Penalties
The penalty for not preparing it is 20 penalty units. At the 2026–27 value of $209.10 per unit, that's $4,182.[1][4] The same 20 units apply to failing to produce records within 24 hours of a request from the municipal building surveyor or fire authority chief officer (reg 225), and to failing to maintain a measure so it fulfils its purpose (reg 226).[1] Councils and fire authorities can also issue infringement notices or prosecute.[3]
Who signs
The owner signs the report, which must be in the approved form.[1] The owner may authorise an agent, “such as a specialist maintenance contractor”, to complete it.[3] That's legal, and it's also where the conflict starts.
- The same company services the measures and prepares the AESMR, often bundled as “one provider, start to finish”.
- The defect list arrives with a rectification quote from the same firm, or a “best price guarantee” on fixing what it found.
- The AESMR scope covers only the contractor's default measures, not every ESM on your occupancy permit or maintenance determination. Ask for an item-by-item match.
- Passive items (fire doors, penetrations, paths of travel) are missing because the contractor only services active equipment.
- There's no named person who inspected on site, and no photos.
These are questions to ask, not proof of wrongdoing. Many maintenance contractors prepare accurate reports, but an audit-only inspector can't profit from the defects it finds.
Common questions
When is the AESMR due in Victoria?
For buildings where an occupancy permit or maintenance determination requires essential safety measures, the owner must ensure the AESMR is prepared within 28 days before each anniversary of the date the first such permit or determination was issued or made. For buildings constructed before 1 July 1994, it is due within 28 days before 13 June each year (Building Regulations 2018, reg 223).
What is the penalty for not preparing an AESMR?
Regulation 223 sets a penalty of 20 penalty units. At the 2026–27 Victorian penalty unit value of $209.10, that is $4,182. Similar 20-unit penalties apply to failing to make records available (reg 225) and failing to maintain essential safety measures (reg 226).
Do I lodge the AESMR with council?
No. The regulations require the owner to make AESMRs from the past 10 years, plus maintenance records, available at the building within 24 hours of a request from the municipal building surveyor or the fire authority's chief officer (reg 225).
Can my maintenance contractor prepare the AESMR?
Yes. The Building and Plumbing Commission says owners may authorise an agent, such as a specialist maintenance contractor, to complete the report. The report must still be signed by the owner (reg 224). Using an auditor who doesn't service the equipment adds an independent check, but it isn't a legal requirement.
Who signs the AESMR?
The owner of the building or place, per reg 224(b). The report must be in a form approved by the Authority and state that the owner has taken all reasonable steps to keep each measure operating and maintained.
Is this the same as an NSW Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS)?
No. In NSW, the AFSS must confirm that an Accredited Practitioner (Fire Safety) has assessed, inspected and verified each measure. Victoria's AESMR has no equivalent accreditation requirement for whoever prepares it on the owner's behalf.
Budget check
Published AESMR prices start from $200 (online, document-based)[8] and from $133/quarter for independent sign-off with quarterly monitoring.[7] A third-party guide puts a small commercial AESMR at $200–$450 +GST, with servicing extra.[6]
Open the cost estimatorGet 3 independent quotes
Tell us about the building; in the live version we'd send the brief to up to 3 firms that state they do not service or repair the equipment they audit.
Sources
Official sources first. Firm facts link to the firm's own page in the table and on each listing.
- Building Regulations 2018 (Vic), S.R. No. 38/2018, authorised version 031 (in force 1 Sep 2026) — regs 223–226 — https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-09/18-38sra031-authorised.PDF (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- legislation.vic.gov.au — Building Regulations 2018 version history — https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/statutory-rules/building-regulations-2018 (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Building and Plumbing Commission (formerly VBA) — Essential safety measures guide — https://www.bpc.vic.gov.au/resource-hub/safety-guides/essential-safety-measures (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Department of Treasury and Finance (Vic) — Indexation of fees and penalties (penalty unit $209.10, 1 Jul 2026–30 Jun 2027) — https://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/financial-management-government/indexation-fees-and-penalties (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- NSW Planning — Fire safety certification (AFSS needs an Accredited Practitioner (Fire Safety)) — https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/the-planning-system/buildings/fire-safety-in-buildings/fire-safety-certification (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- What's The Damage? — Fire safety compliance cost Melbourne (Oct 2026; third-party cost guide, itself a lead-gen site) — https://whatsthedamage.com.au/fire-safety-compliance-cost-melbourne/ (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Focus BRC — Services & pricing — https://www.focusbrc.com.au/services (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Northern Plains Building Services — The AESMR service — https://www.aesmr.com.au/the-aesmr-service (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- Detector Inspector — Essential fire safety pricing — https://www.detectorinspector.com.au/services/essential-services/ (accessed 25 Oct 2026)