When someone hands over the keys to a rental property, they’re not just renting out walls and a roof, they’re stepping into a role that carries real responsibility. A rental must be safe, secure, and in solid working order. Anything less isn’t just cutting corners, it’s breaking the agreement.Let’s break down what landlords need to keep on top of, and what happens when things are left undone.
What Needs to Be Done, Always
A rental must feel like a place people can live in. That means:
- No broken locks or missing keys
- Locks must work, and every key should be accounted for.
- Ceilings shouldn’t peel, and steps can’t be cracked or unstable.
- Smoke alarms need to function without faults or missing parts
- Heating systems should keep working, not shut down for the entire winter.
When It Can’t Wait
Some repairs can’t be pushed to next week. These include anything that:
- Makes the structure unsafe
- Puts someone’s health or life in danger
- Blocks essential services like water, gas, or electricity
- Leaves the place exposed or unsecured
Storms, floods, and fires often bring urgent damage. Landlords need to act fast in these cases, no delay, no excuses.
Learn more about maintenance: Getting repairs done on a rental property
What Counts as an Urgent Repair in NSW?
Certain issues need immediate action, no waiting, no delays. In NSW, these are classed as urgent repairs under tenancy law. They include:
- Gas leaks of any kind
- Electrical faults that pose a danger
- Flooding or major water damage
- Storm or fire damage that’s serious
- Breakdown of essential services like gas, electricity, or water
- Failure of systems needed for hot water, cooking, heating, cooling, or laundry
- Anything that makes the property unsafe or easy to break into
- Burst water pipes or services
- Broken or leaking fixtures that waste a large amount of water
- Blocked or unusable toilets
- Roof leaks that go beyond a minor drip
These situations affect safety, security, or basic daily needs, and they require fast action from the landlord or agent.
Learn more about: Urgent repairs in residential rental properties
Smoke Alarms: Non-Negotiable
Smoke alarms save lives. That means:
- Batteries must be changed every year
- Faulty alarms need fixing quickly
- Alarms covered in dust, bugs, or moisture need replacing
- A missing alarm must be replaced with one that works, not later, now
When apartments or buildings with shared management (strata schemes), the owners corporation might handle the alarms. Still, landlords must make sure every alarm in their unit is working.
Not Urgent, But Still Important
Leaky taps, faulty door handles, and cracked tiles fall into the non-urgent category. However, that doesn’t make them optional. These issues still sit firmly on the landlord’s to-do list. While some repairs can’t wait, others require planning, and in most cases, tenants need approval before taking action. Exceptions apply only in specific situations, such as urgent problems or certain smoke alarm repairs, as set out by law.
Health and Safety: A Legal Must
Rentals must meet health and safety standards. This isn’t an extra, it’s built into every agreement. Ignoring it doesn’t just create problems, it breaks the legal contract between owner and tenant.
Bottom Line
Landlords have a job to do, and doing it well means more than collecting rent. A home in decent condition, safe locks, working smoke alarms, and prompt repairs aren’t just nice gestures, they’re expected, legally and ethically. When repairs get delayed or ignored, it’s not just tenants who suffer, trust gets broken. And once that happens, everybody loses.
That’s where we come in. At Murray Property, we take the pressure off your shoulders by handling repairs, compliance, and tenant communication with care and efficiency. Our experienced property managers know the ins and outs of rental laws, and we act fast when things need attention.
Let us manage the details so you can enjoy the returns.
Contact Murray Property today and discover how seamless property management should feel.