Maintenance Request Instructions and Form

Ray White Burwood Property Maintenance Procedure

We deal with maintenance issues and conduct regular inspections, issuing renters with notice if they breach their terms of the lease. A schedule of routine inspections allows us to inspect the property regularly and keep an eye on any repairs or maintenance required that could increase the potential rental income of the property and make sure it remains safe for renters to live in for the duration of their tenancy. We conduct inspections in the first three months of a tenancy this then allows us to set the future inspection schedule as per legislation and your instructions.

Non-urgent repairs

Renters are obliged to report all maintenance/repairs to our office as soon as possible. To do this, they must either use the ‘Maintenance Request Form’ on our website or email their Property Manager with the request. The Property Manager will then phone the Rental Provider to seek their instructions on repairing the maintenance. The Residential Tenancies Act requires that the Rental Provider responds to maintenance requests within 14 days of receipt of notification.

Urgent repairs

If renters have an urgent repair, they must contact their Property Manager as soon as possible. This will minimise the potential damage and inconvenience. All urgent maintenance items are required to be attended to within 24 hours in most circumstances and wherever possible. Urgent repairs are defined by the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 as the following:

burst water service
blocked or broken toilet system
serious roof leak
gas leak
dangerous electrical fault
flooding or serious flood damage
serious storm or fire damage
failure or breakdown of any essential service or appliance provided by a Rental Provider or agent for hot water, water, cooking, heating, or laundering
failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
any fault or damage in the premises that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
an appliance, fitting or fixture that is not working properly and causes a substantial amount of water to be wasted
a serious fault in a lift or staircase

We have an emergency mobile phone for any other emergency repairs that require attention outside business hours. The number is 0450 000 988

If the renter is not able to get the Rental Provider or agent to carry out urgent repairs, the renter can have them done and the Rental Provider or agent will have to pay the renter the reasonable cost of repairs or $1800 whichever is less. Receipts must be kept to prove how much was spent. The renter has to give the Rental Provider or agent notice of what repairs were done and what they cost. The Rental Provider or agent has 14 days from receiving the notice to pay the renter for the urgent repairs. Sometimes:

Urgent repairs are going to cost more than $2500
The renter cannot afford to pay for them
The Rental Provider threatens not to pay if the renter has the repairs done

In these cases, the renter can apply to the tribunal, which must hear the application within two business days after receipt. The tribunal can order the Rental Provider to do the repairs.

For more information, refer to the ‘Urgent Repairs’ section of your ‘Renting a Home Guide.’