How long does my landlord have to fix an urgent repair in Tasmania?
A landlord must fix emergency repairs within 24 hours of being notified in Tasmania. Emergency repairs include critical issues like a burst water service, dangerous electrical fault, or gas leak. For general repairs, they legally have up to 28 days to resolve the problem.
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How it works in practice
Understanding Repair Timeframes
In Tasmania, the law clearly distinguishes between emergency repairs and general maintenance. A landlord is legally required to resolve emergency repairs within 24 hours of being notified by the tenant. These are critical issues that pose an immediate risk to health, safety, or the structural integrity of the property.
What Counts as an Emergency?
Emergency repairs include situations like a burst water pipe, a severe roof leak, a dangerous electrical fault, a gas leak, or a blocked or broken toilet (if it is the only one on the property). The urgency reflects the necessity to keep the home safe and livable.
General Repair Timelines
If the issue is not classified as an emergency, it falls under general repairs. For non-urgent matters, the landlord has 28 days from the time you notify them in writing to complete the necessary work. It is crucial to always report any damage or breakdown as soon as you notice it to ensure the timeline begins officially.
Tenant Responsibilities
While the landlord is responsible for fixing issues related to normal wear and tear or infrastructure failure, tenants must ensure they do not cause the damage. If an emergency repair is required because of a tenant's negligence or intentional actions, the tenant may ultimately be responsible for covering the repair costs, even though the landlord must arrange to make the property safe initially.
Important exceptions
There are specific exceptions to a landlord's responsibility to pay for or complete repairs.
If the urgent repair is required due to the tenant's negligence or intentional damage, the landlord must still secure the property, but the tenant will be liable for the financial cost of the repair.
Additionally, if the tenant fails to notify the landlord of an issue promptly and it worsens into an emergency, the tenant might face liability for the escalating damage.
Finally, for non-essential appliances not listed in the lease agreement, the landlord may not be legally required to replace or repair them urgently.
What you should do now
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Contact your landlord or property manager immediately by phone to report the emergency repair.
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Follow up your phone call with a written email or text message to maintain a clear paper trail of the time and date you notified them.
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Wait 24 hours to allow the landlord to arrange a qualified tradesperson to address the critical issue.
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If the landlord fails to act within 24 hours, contact a licensed tradesperson yourself to carry out the emergency repair.
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Forward the receipt and a written request for reimbursement to your landlord, who must pay you back within 14 days.
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