What Are the Landlord’s Maintenance Responsibilities?

Both tenants and landlords have a responsibility to keep a rental property in good condition – but it can be a bit confusing working out who’s responsible for what. The tenancy agreement can set out the specifics, but here are some general guidelines to give landlords a clear idea of where they stand on keeping the home in good nick.

What’s considered an urgent repair?

While tenants are expected to keep the property clean and undamaged, landlords have an obligation to provide a safe and healthy home when tenants move in. They’re also expected to maintain the premises and common areas throughout the tenancy and do any repairs and maintenance tasks as needed.

However, some of these repairs will be more urgent than others. These include, among other things, burst pipes and blocked plumbing, electrical problems, serious leaks in the roof, or any other fault that makes living in the property unsafe.

If anything like this happens, the tenant should alert the landlord, or property manager, straight away in writing. It they’re unavailable, the tenancy agreement normally contains a list of emergency contacts to get in touch with.

It’s a good idea for landlords to have one prepared when renters move in. This can reduce confusion if an emergency were to pop up further down the line.

How soon do urgent repairs need to be done?

Emergency repairs generally need to be addressed immediately, especially if they’re a hazard. Depending on what’s outlined in the rental agreement and the cost of the damage, tenants can normally organise to have repairs done if they don’t get a quick response from the landlord or emergency contact, typically between 24 to 48 hours. Tenants can then ask the landlord or their property manager for reimbursement, or ask the repair person to bill the landlord or property manager directly.

How often can a landlord inspect the property?

A landlord should regularly inspect their rental property, both to meet insurance requirements and to ensure that everything is working well, there is no damage and that the tenants are keeping things reasonably clean. The tenant does not need to be present at the inspection however, they must be given at least 48 hours’ notice before the inspection. In addition to this, the inspection must take place at a reasonable hour (between 8am and 7pm) and the property can only be inspected once in any four week period. If re-inspection is required to ensure the tenant has fixed or cleaned something by the required date, the landlord may re-inspect the property, provided they give at least 48 hours’ notice.

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