Who Pays for Rental Repairs in South Australia? Landlord vs Tenant

Something always breaks eventually. A hot water system, a heater, a gate that will not latch, a leaking tap. When it happens in a rental, the first question is who pays and how fast it needs to be fixed.

This guide explains how rental repairs in South Australia are split between landlords and tenants, how urgent repairs work, and what both sides can do to avoid disputes.

What repairs is the landlord responsible for?

In SA the landlord is responsible for keeping the property in a reasonable state of repair. According to SA Government guidance, landlord responsibilities include:

• Larger repairs such as electrical wiring and gas heaters.
• Domestic appliances supplied with the property.
• Keeping the property secure, including locks.
• Replacing items like tap filters.
• Annual gardening such as pruning fruit trees.

Landlords must carry out repairs within a reasonable time. This applies even when the tenant knew about the problem before they moved in.

What repairs is the tenant responsible for?

Tenants look after day to day items:

• Replacing light globes.
• Cleaning items such as air conditioner filters.
• General gardening such as mowing and weeding.
• Repairing any damage they cause, including damage caused by visitors or other people living in the home.

Tenants must also report problems to the landlord. A small leak reported early is much cheaper to fix than one that has run for months, and a tenant who does not report a problem can end up responsible for the damage it causes.

What counts as an urgent repair?

The SA Government gives a gas leak as an example of an urgent problem. Other situations that are usually treated as urgent include a burst water pipe, a blocked or broken toilet when it is the only one, a serious roof leak, a dangerous electrical fault, or a failure of an essential service such as hot water, cooking or heating.

Urgent problems must be reported to the landlord as soon as possible. The landlord can enter the property without notice to carry out urgent repairs.

What if the landlord cannot be reached for an urgent repair?

For urgent problems, a tenant can arrange the repair and give the landlord an invoice from an authorised repairer. The work must be done by a licensed professional, who provides a report on the cause of the problem and the work completed.

For landlords, the best protection is simple. Make sure your tenant always knows how to reach you or your property manager, including after hours, and have trusted tradespeople ready to go.

How should non urgent repairs be requested?

In writing. Consumer and Business Services has a Request for Repairs form for this. A written request gives both sides a clear record of what was reported and when.

There is no fixed number of days for non urgent repairs. The standard is a reasonable time. What is reasonable depends on the problem, the availability of parts and tradespeople, and the impact on the tenant.

What are minimum housing standards?

Before a tenant moves in, the property must meet the minimum housing standards under the Housing Improvement Act 2016. These cover basics such as safe electrical work, working water supply and sanitation, adequate cooking and washing facilities, and the home being structurally sound, secure and weatherproof.

Repairs that keep the home at that standard are the landlord's responsibility for the whole tenancy, not only at the start.

Who pays for common problems?

These are general examples. The cause of the problem often decides who pays.

• Hot water system fails from age: landlord.
• Blocked drain caused by tree roots: usually landlord.
• Blocked drain caused by items flushed by the tenant: usually tenant.
• Broken window from a storm: landlord, often through insurance.
• Broken window from the tenant's ball game: tenant.
• Dead light globe: tenant.
• Faulty oven supplied with the house: landlord.
• Lawn not mowed: tenant.

When the cause is unclear, a tradesperson's report on what caused the fault usually settles it.

What about routine inspections?

Routine inspections help find small problems before they become expensive ones. In SA, routine inspections are limited to four in a year, and the landlord must give between 7 and 28 days notice of each one.

At each inspection, we check for leaks, damp, smoke alarm condition, garden and gutter issues, and any damage, and we record it with photos.

How do landlords avoid repair disputes?

From managing properties across the northern suburbs, the pattern is consistent. Disputes come from slow responses and missing records, not from the repair itself.

• Respond to every request quickly, even if the fix takes longer.
• Keep every request, quote and invoice in writing.
• Use licensed tradespeople and keep their reports.
• Fix small items early, before they become larger claims.
• Use routine inspections to plan maintenance, not only to check on the tenant.
• Keep landlord insurance current and understand what it covers.

What should a tenant do when something breaks?

Most repair problems are solved quickly when the first steps are right.

• Make it safe. For anything involving gas, electricity or water, turn it off at the source if it is safe to do so.
• Decide if it is urgent. A gas leak, burst pipe, serious roof leak, dangerous electrical fault or loss of an essential service needs immediate attention.
• Report it. For urgent problems, call the landlord or property manager straight away, then follow up in writing. For everything else, use the CBS Request for Repairs form or put it in writing by email.
• Take photos. Photograph the problem with the date, before and after any temporary fix.
• Keep records. Keep copies of every message and the date you sent it.
• Allow access. Work with the landlord or agent on times for tradespeople to attend.

What should a landlord do when a repair is reported?

• Acknowledge the request quickly, even if the fix will take longer.
• Decide whether it is urgent or non urgent.
• Book a licensed tradesperson for anything involving gas, electrical or plumbing work.
• Tell the tenant when the tradesperson will attend and arrange access with the right notice for non urgent work.
• Ask the tradesperson for a report on the cause, especially if the tenant may be responsible.
• Keep the invoice and report with the property records.
• Confirm with the tenant that the problem is fixed.

What does a reasonable time look like in practice?

The law does not set a fixed number of days for non urgent repairs. What is reasonable depends on the problem. A dripping tap is less urgent than a broken oven, and a broken oven is less urgent than a hot water system that has failed in winter.

As a practical guide, we aim to:

• Respond to every request within one business day.
• Arrange urgent repairs the same day.
• Book non urgent repairs as soon as a suitable tradesperson is available, and keep the tenant updated if there are delays such as parts on order.

Delays are understandable. Silence is not. Most disputes come from tenants not knowing what is happening.

How does insurance fit in?

Landlord insurance can cover some repairs, such as damage from storms, malicious damage, or accidental damage by tenants, depending on the policy. It usually does not cover general wear and tear or maintenance that has been put off.

Tenants should consider contents insurance for their own belongings, which are not covered by the landlord's policy.

When something major happens, such as storm damage, take photos, make the property safe, and contact the insurer early.

What if the landlord and tenant disagree?

Many disagreements are about whether something is wear and tear or damage, or whether a repair is taking too long. The first step is to talk, with the facts in writing.

If that does not work, CBS Tenancies can give advice on rights and responsibilities. If a dispute still cannot be resolved, it may go to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which can make orders about repairs and costs. Records, photos, condition reports and tradesperson reports are the evidence that matters in any dispute.

A maintenance calendar for SA rentals

Planned maintenance prevents many urgent repairs. A simple calendar for homes in Adelaide's north:

• Before summer: service the air conditioning, clean gutters, cut back trees and branches from the roof, check pool fencing if there is a pool, and test smoke alarms.
• During summer: check irrigation and outdoor taps, and watch for pests.
• Before winter: check the roof and flashing, clear gutters and downpipes again, service gas heaters, and check for damp.
• Every year: check smoke alarms, inspect for termites if the property is at risk, and review the condition of floors, paint and fixtures.

Routine inspections, which can be held up to four times a year with 7 to 28 days notice, are a good time to spot items for this calendar.

How should repairs be recorded?

• A dated request from the tenant.
• The landlord's response and the booking.
• The tradesperson's invoice and report.
• Photos before and after.
• The tenant's confirmation that it is fixed.

These records support insurance claims, protect the bond process at the end of a tenancy, and help your accountant with deductions at tax time.

Who pays when the cause is unclear?

Some problems could be either side's responsibility. A blocked drain is a good example. If tree roots caused it, it is usually the landlord's cost. If the tenant flushed something that caused the blockage, it is usually the tenant's cost.

The fair way to settle these is evidence. Ask the plumber or tradesperson to state the cause in their report. Many disputes disappear once there is a clear, written explanation from the person who did the work.

Where the cause genuinely cannot be determined, the landlord usually carries the cost of keeping the property in repair, because that is their general obligation.

What about appliances supplied with the property?

If an appliance came with the property, such as an oven, cooktop, dishwasher, air conditioner or hot water system, the landlord is generally responsible for maintaining and repairing it. If the tenant damaged it through misuse, the tenant may be responsible for that damage.

Appliances the tenant brings, such as a fridge or washing machine, are the tenant's responsibility.

When an old appliance fails, replacing it with a reliable, efficient model is often cheaper over time than repeated repairs, and it can make the property easier to lease.

How do repairs affect rent reviews?

The condition of a property matters when rent is reviewed. If a tenant thinks a rent increase is excessive and applies to SACAT, the tribunal can consider the general condition of the property and its state of repair.

Put simply, a well maintained home supports a fair rent increase. A home with outstanding repair requests does not. If you are planning a rent review, clear the repair list first.

Can a tenant withhold rent until repairs are done?

Tenants should not stop paying rent because a repair is outstanding. Unpaid rent is a breach of the tenancy agreement, even if the tenant has a genuine complaint. The better path is to put the repair request in writing, keep records, seek advice from CBS Tenancies, and, if needed, apply to SACAT for an order.

What should a new landlord set up from day one?

• A list of licensed tradespeople for plumbing, electrical, gas and general maintenance.
• An after hours contact for urgent repairs.
• A clear process for tenants to lodge repair requests.
• Landlord insurance with cover you understand.
• A folder or system for invoices, reports and photos.
• A maintenance calendar for the year.

Setting this up before the first tenant moves in saves time and money when the first problem appears.

Want repairs handled for you?

Royal Realty Group manages rental properties across Munno Para, Andrews Farm, Smithfield, Elizabeth and the northern suburbs. We handle repair requests, tradespeople, inspections and records so you do not get the 9pm phone call.

Call 0478 578 240 or email info@royalrealtygroup.com.au.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. For your own situation, contact CBS Tenancies on 131 882. Sources: SA Government repairs and maintenance guidance, Consumer and Business Services rental reforms.