What Are A Landlord’s Responsibilities Relating To Maintenance And Repairs? Have you ever wondered what sort of tasks fall under a landlord and what falls under a tenant when it comes to a rental property? While you are expected to treat a rental property like your own, who does what when there is a leaking pipe or a broken drain? What is the tenant’s responsibility, and what falls down to the landlord? The focus in a tenancy is to ensure a property is taken care of and kept in the same condition it was found in. While everyone expects a little wear and tear, the focus is to ensure that the property is taken care of to a high standard, and any repairs or maintenance are carried out by the landlord to ensure the safety of the tenant and their family. When is a landlord supposed to take care of repairs? The tenancy agreement will outline the condition of the property when the tenancy commenced and the paperwork will outline any items that are damaged or fixtures that could be due for maintenance or repair. Some examples of when a landlord should take care of repairs include:
  • Broken glass in doors, windows or in the structure of the property that needs repair and has not been caused by the misuse of the tenant
  • Blocked drains, broken drains, and issues with plumbing
  • Leaking bath or shower
  • Leaks in the roof or issues with the roof
  • Issues with the flooring or broken flooring causing the property to be a risk or hazard
  • Pests or infestations
There is a long list of repairs and maintenance the landlord should cover, and the tenancy agreement will provide a lot of detail on what is covered and what is the responsibility of the tenant. A list of emergency numbers is provided in the tenancy agreement, so if there is an emergency plumbing issue in the middle of the night, for example, the tenant can action the issue immediately without further damage to the property and belongings occurring. How quickly should a landlord attend to repairs and damage? The answer to this really depends on a case by case basis. If the issue is an emergency, the tenant can use the emergency contacts to arrange emergency plumbing repairs and emergency electrical repairs. If the damage or repairs is something that can be attended to in a few days, a report will be lodged outlining the repairs and maintenance, and the landlord should take care of this in a fair and reasonable amount of time. The key to note is that the damage or repairs should ensure the safety of the tenants, and if the landlord is not taking care of the property adequately they can be fined. The standard expectation is that repairs will be carried out within 2 days and if a tenant thinks the landlord is not taking care of the tenancy they can be in hot water. Image Credit: Unsplash