Urgent Repairs — Immediate Response Required
Victorian law defines specific maintenance issues as "urgent repairs" that landlords must address immediately:
Urgent repair categories:
- Water burst or serious leak
- Non-functional toilet (if only toilet in the property)
- Gas leak or gas appliance failure
- Complete power failure or dangerous electrical fault
- Serious roof leak
- Fire or flood damage
- Heating failure in winter (if property has no alternative heating)
- Security breach (broken locks, smashed windows)
Your obligation: Respond within 24 hours or the tenant has the right to arrange repairs themselves.
Tenant self-repair limit: If the landlord is unavailable or unresponsive, tenants can arrange urgent repairs up to $2,500 and the landlord must reimburse this amount.
How we handle urgent repairs: Our maintenance team operates a priority triage system. Urgent requests are flagged immediately and our local Melbourne team can attend same-day for assessment. We maintain a network of licensed plumbers, electricians, and locksmiths on call.
Non-Urgent Repairs — Standard Process
Non-urgent repairs follow a structured process to ensure quality and cost control:
Our maintenance workflow:
- Tenant submits request through our Tapi maintenance system (24/7 online submission)
- Our team assesses the request and categorises it
- Quote obtained from our trusted tradesperson network
- Landlord approval requested (with photos and cost estimate)
- Work scheduled and completed
- Quality check and tenant confirmation
Common non-urgent repairs and costs:
- Tap replacement: $150–$300
- Toilet mechanism repair: $150–$250
- Door handle/lock replacement: $100–$200
- Minor plumbing: $200–$400
- Grout repair/resealing: $200–$500
- Window repair: $200–$600
- Gutter cleaning: $200–$350
Minimum call-out fee: $100–$200 if the repair is not bundled with other work at the same property.
Warranty on repairs: Licensed plumbing work carries a 3-year warranty. Electrical work is covered by the electrician's certificate. If a previously repaired item fails within warranty, the tradesperson returns at no cost.
Tips for landlords: Approve minor repairs quickly. Delayed maintenance leads to tenant dissatisfaction, which leads to lease breaks and vacancy costs far exceeding the repair cost.
Routine Inspections & Condition Reports
Routine inspections protect your investment by identifying maintenance issues early and ensuring tenant compliance with lease terms.
Inspection schedule:
- Entry condition report: Before tenant moves in (detailed photo documentation)
- Routine inspections: Every 12 months (Victorian law limits frequency)
- Exit condition report: When tenant vacates (compared against entry report)
What we check during routine inspections:
- General cleanliness and property condition
- Smoke alarm functionality
- Signs of unauthorised modifications
- Water damage, mould, or structural issues
- Garden and outdoor area maintenance
- Appliance condition and functionality
- Pet-related damage (if applicable)
Notice requirements: We must give the tenant minimum 7 days' written notice before a routine inspection. Inspections must occur between 8am and 6pm on a weekday.
Condition report process:
- Our local Melbourne team (Madura, Marian, Jay) conducts all physical inspections
- Detailed photo documentation with timestamps
- Digital reports stored in our property management system
- Comparison against previous inspection for trend analysis
Bond claims at exit: If the exit condition report shows damage beyond normal wear and tear, we lodge a bond claim through RTBA (Residential Tenancies Bond Authority). Our team handles the entire process, including VCAT representation if the tenant disputes the claim.