One in three Australians rent, and every one of them eventually stands in a cold shower wondering whose problem this is. Here is the answer for the everyday breakdowns, how fast the landlord has to move, what you can fix yourself and claim back, and where to go when nothing happens.
General information, not legal advice. This is the usual position under each state's tenancy law as at 2026-06-10. Your lease, the cause of the fault and the tribunal's view of the facts can all change the answer. Rules are amended often. For your situation, ring the regulator or a tenants' advice service.
Burst water service, blocked or broken toilet, serious roof leak, gas leak, dangerous electrical fault, flooding or serious flood damage, serious storm or fire damage, failure of an essential service (hot water, cooking, heating, laundry), or anything that makes the place unsafe or insecure.
Who usually pays, whether it is urgent, and what the fix costs in South Australia.
An essential service. Urgent repair in both states. You are entitled to a working system, not a promise of one next week. If you cannot reach anyone, you can arrange it yourself and be reimbursed (VIC cap $2,500).
Typical fix: $1,600 – $2,900 (electric storage hot water (250-315l)). All repair costs
Landlord if it is tree roots, a collapsed pipe or an old system. Tenant if a plumber finds wipes, cooking fat or a child's toy. The plumber's report decides it, so ask them to put the cause in writing.
Typical fix: $250 – $650 (blocked drain clear (jetter or machine)). All repair costs
Landlord if it comes from a leak, rising damp, no exhaust fan or a building defect. Tenant if it is drying clothes indoors with the windows shut all winter. In practice most disputes end up shared: the landlord fixes the source, the tenant ventilates.
Typical fix: $800 – $3,000 (mould remediation (one room)). All repair costs
Rental providers must supply and maintain compliant alarms in both states. Tenants replace the 9-volt battery in older units and must not disable an alarm. A hardwired alarm past its 10-year date is the landlord's job.
Typical fix: $150 – $350 (hardwired interconnected smoke alarm). All repair costs
Supplied appliance, landlord repairs it. In Victoria a working fixed heater in the living area is a minimum standard, so its failure is an urgent repair. In SA heating counts as an essential service where it was supplied.
Typical fix: $2,800 – $4,500 (split system 7kw, back-to-back install). All repair costs
Consumables are yours: globes, remote batteries, smoke alarm 9-volts. Downlight transformers and fittings are not consumables; they are the landlord's.
Tenants keep lawns mowed and gardens tidy unless the lease says otherwise. Tree lopping, gutter cleaning on a two-storey, irrigation systems and anything needing a ladder or a licence is usually the landlord's. Check the special conditions.
Typical fix: $150 – $400 (gutter clean). All repair costs
Lost your keys: you pay to replace or rekey. Lock fails on its own or after a break-in: landlord, and a lock that leaves the place insecure is an urgent repair. Neither side can change locks without the other's consent except in family violence situations.
Typical fix: $250 – $700 (rekey or replace locks (whole house)). All repair costs
Fair wear and tear is the landlord's. Carpet has a depreciable life of about 8-10 years; if it was old when you moved in, you cannot be charged for it wearing out. Stains, burns and holes you made are yours, at depreciated value, not replacement value.
Typical fix: $3,500 – $7,500 (carpet (3 bedrooms, mid-range with underlay)). All repair costs
Present at the start or caused by the building (gaps, damp, termites): landlord. Arriving because of how the place is kept: tenant. Termites are always the landlord's and are urgent if they affect structure.
Typical fix: $250 – $450 (termite inspection). All repair costs
If it came with the property it is the landlord's to repair or replace, unless the lease lists it as "not maintained". A cooking appliance failure is urgent in both states.
Typical fix: $1,200 – $3,200 (replace a built-in oven). All repair costs
Always the landlord's, always urgent. Move your belongings, photograph everything, notify in writing that day. You can claim a rent reduction while rooms are unusable.
Typical fix: $4,500 – $9,000 (roof restoration (tile, 3-bed)). All repair costs
Day-to-day chemicals and cleaning are usually the tenant's if the lease says so. Pumps, chlorinators, fencing compliance and safety certificates are the landlord's. Victoria requires registration and a compliance certificate every 4 years.
Typical fix: $900 – $2,400 (pool pump or chlorinator replacement). All repair costs
Dangerous electrical faults are urgent. An old ceramic-fuse switchboard without safety switches does not meet minimum standards in Victoria and is a red flag in SA. Do not touch the board; ring the agent and then the emergency number.
Typical fix: $1,200 – $3,000 (switchboard upgrade with safety switches). All repair costs
No, in both South Australia and Victoria. Withholding rent puts you in breach and can lead to a notice to vacate. The correct path is written notice, then the regulator, then a tribunal application for a repair order, compensation or rent reduction. In some cases the tribunal can order rent to be paid into a special account until repairs are done.
Deterioration from ordinary use over time: faded paint, worn carpet in walkways, small nail holes from hanging pictures, loose hinges, sun-faded curtains. Not fair wear and tear: burns, large holes, pet damage, stains, broken fixtures. Bond claims must be for depreciated value, not new-for-old.
In SA the landlord pays supply and sewer charges; water usage can be passed to the tenant if the lease says so and the property is separately metered. In Victoria the tenant pays usage if separately metered; the rental provider pays service charges and any usage from a leak once notified.
Generally no, unless the report shows the fault was caused by you (for example a blocked drain full of wipes). Landlords bear the cost of maintaining the property, including checking reported faults.
Report it straight away. You are responsible for damage you or your guests cause, but the landlord can only claim the depreciated cost of repair, and must give you the chance to fix it properly first in most cases. Accidents reported early cost less than ones discovered at the final inspection.
General information, not legal advice. This is the usual position under each state's tenancy law as at 2026-06-10. Your lease, the cause of the fault and the tribunal's view of the facts can all change the answer. Rules are amended often. For your situation, ring the regulator or a tenants' advice service.
Sources: Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) and CBS renting guidance; Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (VIC) and Consumer Affairs Victoria renting guidance; SACAT and VCAT published decisions on repairs and fair wear. Reviewed 2026-06-10.
What each repair actually costs, so you know if the landlord's "too expensive" is true.
OpenWhich repairs a rental of that age and suburb is most likely to need.
OpenSo you understand the plumber when he explains why it is your fault.
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