Discovering Australia

Maintaining a Rental Property Maintenance Costs and Utilities

The landlord is responsible for property taxes (council rates) and unit service charges. Depending on the type of tenancy agreement, the utility costs, such as electricity, water, and gas can be paid by either the tenant or the landlord. Garden and swimming pool maintenance costs may be included in the rent. For the standard Residential Tenancy Agreements, the tenant will be responsible for getting electricity and/or gas in the new rental home. The tenant will therefore need to enter a contract with the utility retailer. Before you move in, meters should be read by the relevant authorities. Helpful Hint: Beware of hidden extras such as a fee for connecting the electricity, gas or telephone

If you have a question about your electricity, water and/or gas service, you should contact your landlord or the residential tenancy authority in your state or territory.

State/ Territory

Phone number

Tenancy Authority Queensland Residential Tenancy Authority NSW Fair Trading ACT Office of Fair Trading Consumer Affairs Victoria Office of Consumer and Business Affairs Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia Utilities Commission of the Northern Territory

Email

QLD

1300 366 311 www.rta.qld.gov.au

NSW

13 3220

www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

ACT

02 6207 3000 www.ors.act.gov.au/community/fair_trading

Victoria

1300 558 181 www.consumer.vic.gov.au

SA

08 8204 9777 www.ocba.sa.gov.au

Tasmania

1300 654 499 www.consumer.tas.gov.au/renting

08 6557 7900 www.erawa.com.au

WA

NT

08 8999 5480 www.utilicom.nt.gov.au

Minor Repairs Tenants must take good care of the property, although the landlord is required to maintain it in a habitable condition and ensure that basic services such as water and sewerage are in order. If the landlord refuses to carry out urgent and necessary repairs within a reasonable period, you can arrange to have them done and send him the bill, although you mustn’t deduct the cost from the rent.

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Discovering Australia