Managing Repairs as a Landlord

A repair process works best when responsibilities, reporting and access are clear. In a NSW residential tenancy, a special lease clause cannot simply transfer the landlord’s statutory repair obligations to the tenant.

Assess the issue before allocating costs

Landlords have repair obligations; tenants must care for the premises and report problems. Distinguish fair wear and tear from damage and check the facts before deciding who bears a cost. A faulty item is not automatically the tenant’s responsibility.

Separate urgent and ordinary work

Assess urgency promptly and follow the relevant repair process. A burst pipe, loss of an essential service or a dangerous fault needs a different response from a cosmetic issue. The rules for tenant-arranged urgent work and reimbursement have conditions; do not treat them as unrestricted permission to commission any work.

Arrange lawful access

Agree on access where possible and apply the applicable notice rules. A tenant being away does not remove the ordinary requirements. Use qualified tradespeople for specialist work and document what was inspected, repaired and recommended.

Keep a useful record

Retain the report, quotes, attendance details and invoices. Tell the tenant what will happen next and record completed work. If a dispute cannot be resolved, use the appropriate Fair Trading or NCAT process rather than relying on informal assumptions about compensation.