Urgent repairs.
Urgent repairs are those that must be attended to immediately, as they make the property unsafe or difficult to live in. The following repairs are legally defined as urgent:
Burst water service.
Blocked or broken toilet system.
Serious roof leak.
Gas leak.
Dangerous electrical fault.
Flooding or serious flood damage.
Serious storm or fire damage.
Failure of an essential service or appliance for hot water, water, cooking, heating, or laundering.
Failure of the gas, electricity or water supply.
Failure of a cooling appliance or service provided by the rental provider.
Failure of the property to meet minimum standards.
Failure of a safety-related device, such as a smoke alarm or pool fence.
Failure of an appliance, fitting or fixture that causes a lot of water to be wasted.
Any fault or damage in the property that makes it unsafe or insecure, including pests, mould or damp caused by or related to the building structure.
A serious problem with a lift or staircase.
What are the rental providers’ responsibilities?
It is a rental provider’s responsibility to respond promptly to requests for urgent repairs from your renters. If a repair is needed urgently, renters should contact their property manager right away using the emergency phone number provided when they moved in. They must also confirm the request in writing, in case they need to prove they made the request. It is the rental providers’ obligation to ensure that the repair is done immediately.
If the rental provider fails to respond to the request, the renter may organise and pay for the repair themselves if it does not cost more than $2500. In such cases, you must reimburse the renter within seven days of receiving the request. Renters who cannot afford to pay for the repair upfront can contact us using our online enquiries form.
If a rental provider fails to respond to a repair request within the required timeframe, renters and the property manager should keep a record of their attempts to contact you. If you still fail to organise repairs, renters can contact consumer affairs victoria for information and advice.
Who can make repairs?
For repairs that require a license or registration, you and the renter must use a qualified professional. All repairs should be made to the standard that a tradesperson would make them. The renter or rental provider can make the repair themselves, but only if they can do so to the same standard as a tradesperson.
Efficient replacements.
The rental provider is required to replace any water, gas, electrical appliances, fittings, or fixtures with items that meet the minimum efficiency standards to ensure efficient replacements.
Rent payments during repairs.
Renters must continue to pay rent while waiting for repairs to be made or waiting to be reimbursed for repairs. However, they can apply to VCAT for their rent to be paid into CAV's Rent Special Account, which means that you will not receive it until the issue is resolved.
Urgent repairs $2500 or less.
If a repair is urgent and costs $2500 or less, renters may organize and pay for it themselves, but they must provide you with receipts and a written notice asking for reimbursement within seven days of the repairs being made. If you fail to repay the renter, they can apply to VCAT for an order to repay them.
Urgent repairs over $2500.
For urgent repairs costing more than $2500, renters must apply to VCAT for a repair order. VCAT will review the application within two business days and can order you to arrange and pay for the repairs. We recommend that you use one of the forms provided to notify a rental provider about payment for an urgent repair.