On this page: This page outlines what happens if your rental is not in a good condition.
Rental not in Good Condition
What happens if my property is not in good condition and my landlord won’t carry out repairs
Remember that you have rights in this situation. You have the legal right to ask the rental provider (landlord) or agent for repairs.
The VALS Civil and Human Rights practice acts for tenants facing eviction and those with problems around the condition of their property. If you need advice, help or representation, call us on 9418 5900.
Types of repairs – urgent and non-urgent
The law separates repairs into two areas, urgent repairs and non-urgent repairs. Many renters think rental providers have 14 days to get urgent repairs done. This is not true.
Urgent repairs need to be done as soon as possible. If they are not done urgently you can apply to the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal (VCAT). It will hear your application within 2 business days.
If any repairs needed are not urgent the rental provider has 14 days to get them done.
What are Urgent repairs
Urgent repairs are:
- A burst water service
- A blocked or broken toilet
- A serious roof leak
- A gas leak
- A dangerous electrical fault
- Flooding or serious flood damage
- Serious storm or fire damage
- A failure or breakdown of any essential service or appliance provided for water, hot water, cooking, heating or doing laundry
- A failure or breakdown of any cooling appliance or service
- A failure to comply with any rental new minimum standards – if the renter moved in after 28 March, 2021
- A failure or breakdown of any safety-related device
- A failure or breakdown in any appliance or fitting supplied by the rental provider that will result in a large amount of water being wasted
- A failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
- Any fault or damage that makes the premises unsafe or not secure, including pest infestations or the presence of mould or damp caused by, or related to, the building structure
- A serious fault in a lift or staircase
To learn more about this issue visit Tenants Victoria and review the recommend steps.
Or you are able to visit the CAV website to download breach of notice forms if you are familiar with the steps.
When a renter or rental provider (landlord) breaks the law – Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Remember that the VALS Civil and Human Rights practice acts for tenants facing eviction and those with problems around the condition of their property. If you need advice, help or representation, call us on 9418 5900.
If you would like to learn more about this issue in general from Tenants Victoria, click on the provided link to learn more.