What repairs does my landlord have to fix in Tasmania?
Yes, your landlord must fix any damage that prevents the property from being in a reasonable state of repair in Tasmania. This includes urgent emergency repairs, like restoring essential services, and general maintenance to keep the home safe, secure, and fully livable.
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How it works in practice
Landlord Repair Obligations
Under Tasmanian tenancy law, your landlord is legally required to ensure the rental property is maintained in a reasonable state of repair. This means they must fix issues that occur naturally through normal wear and tear, age, or faults in the building's infrastructure.
General Maintenance
General repairs cover non-urgent issues that do not pose an immediate risk to your health or safety but still impact your use of the property. Examples include a broken stove element, a dripping tap, or a malfunctioning window latch. Once you report a general repair in writing, the landlord generally has 28 days to fix the problem.
Urgent and Emergency Repairs
Urgent repairs involve the failure of essential services or issues that make the property unsafe or unlivable. Essential services in Tasmania include mains electricity, water supply, sewerage, heating, and cooking facilities. If an essential service breaks down, the landlord must arrange for it to be repaired as soon as practicable after you notify them.
Your landlord must ensure the property remains safe, secure, and weather-tight throughout your entire tenancy. You should always notify your landlord or property agent in writing as soon as you notice a repair is needed, even for minor issues, to ensure there is a clear record of your request.
Important exceptions
Your landlord is not legally responsible for fixing damage that you, your guests, or your pets caused either intentionally or through negligence. If you break a window or burn a carpet, you must cover the cost of the repair.
Additionally, landlords are not required to repair minor cosmetic imperfections that do not affect the functionality or safety of the home, such as a slight scratch on a floorboard.
Finally, landlords are not responsible for repairing or replacing your own personal appliances or furniture that you brought into the rental property.
What you should do now
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Notify your landlord or property manager in writing immediately when you notice a repair is required.
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Include clear details and photographs of the issue in your written request to document the damage.
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Allow the landlord or their chosen tradesperson access to the property at a reasonable time to assess or fix the issue.
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Follow up in writing if the repair is not completed within 28 days for general maintenance or immediately for urgent issues.
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Contact the Residential Tenancy Commissioner or the Tenants' Union of Tasmania if the landlord refuses to carry out necessary repairs.
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