Urgent repairs

Places for rent must always be fit to live in. Landlords have the responsibility to organise urgent repair work, as soon as reasonably possible after being notified. An emergency repair is any work to fix:

• a burst water service;
• a blocked or broken toilet;
• a serious roof leak;
• a gas leak;
• a  dangerous electrical fault;
• flooding or serious flood damage;
• serious storm or fire damage;
• a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the premises;
• a failure or breakdown of any essential service on the premises for hot water, cooking, heating or laundering;
• any fault or damage that causes the premises to be unsafe or not secure.

A tenant must notify the landlord in writing that emergency repairs are required.

If within 5 business days of giving written notice to the landlord that emergency repairs are required, the landlord has either:

• not made the repairs; or
• not notified the tenant of arrangements to carry out the repairs,

the tenant may apply to the Commissioner of Tenancies to order the repairs.
If the tenancy has been notified of repair arrangements but these have not been carried out within 14 days of giving notice, the tenancy may apply to the Commissioner of Tenancies to order the repairs be made.

Don’t stop paying rent while waiting for repairs to be made as this could result in you being evicted.

 

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