How long does my landlord have to fix an urgent repair in Queensland?
Your landlord must arrange for urgent repairs to be fixed within a "reasonable time" in Queensland. While the law does not specify exact hours, critical emergencies like gas leaks, electrical faults, or burst water services demand immediate action, typically within 24 to 48 hours.
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How it works in practice
What Constitutes an Urgent Repair
In Queensland, urgent repairs are legally defined as critical issues that make your rental property unsafe, insecure, or unlivable. This includes emergencies such as a burst water service, a blocked or broken lavatory, a serious roof leak, a gas leak, a dangerous electrical fault, flooding, or serious storm damage.
The Legal Timeframe
Under Queensland tenancy laws, a property manager or landlord must respond to and resolve urgent repairs within a "reasonable time." Because the severity of emergencies varies, the law does not prescribe a strict hourly countdown. However, for genuinely life-threatening or property-damaging issues, "reasonable" means taking immediate action, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Tenant Rights if Ignored
If you notify your landlord or their nominated repairer about an emergency and they do not take action within a reasonable timeframe, you are not expected to live in an unsafe environment. You have the legal right to arrange for a suitably qualified professional to carry out the urgent repairs yourself. You can authorize repairs up to the maximum value of four weeks' rent and legally claim reimbursement from your landlord.
Important exceptions
This rule only applies to repairs legally classified as urgent under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act. General maintenance, such as a dripping tap or a broken dishwasher, is considered non-urgent and follows a completely different, slower timeline.
Additionally, you cannot arrange your own repairs and seek reimbursement if the issue was caused by your own negligence or intentional damage. In such cases, you will be held financially responsible for the repair bill. Finally, the self-arranged repair cost cannot legally exceed the equivalent of four weeks' rent.
What you should do now
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Contact your property manager or landlord immediately by phone to report the urgent issue.
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Follow up your phone call with a written notification, such as an email, to create a formal paper trail.
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Check your lease agreement for a nominated repairer and contact them directly if your landlord is unreachable.
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Hire a licensed tradesperson to fix the issue if the landlord or nominated repairer fails to act within a reasonable time.
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Forward the repair receipt to your landlord along with a formal written request for reimbursement.
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