Kitchen and Cooking Facilities Requirements for Tasmanian Rentals

The kitchen standard under section 36L of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 is more specific than most landlords expect. It does not just say "provide a kitchen" — it prescribes minimum element counts on the stovetop based on the number of bedrooms, and it defines what qualifies as an oven.

The Stovetop Element Rule

Every rental property must have a functioning cooktop. The minimum number of working elements depends on the property's bedroom count:

• Two or fewer bedrooms — minimum two operating elements or burners
• Three or more bedrooms — minimum three operating elements or burners

This means a three-bedroom house with a four-burner stovetop where two burners are broken is non-compliant. You need at least three working. A one-bedroom apartment with a two-burner induction cooktop is fine, as long as both elements work.

The 14-day repair clock for stove elements is a distinct middle tier in Tasmania's repair system. If a stovetop element fails mid-tenancy, you have 14 days from the tenant's written notice to fix it — faster than the 28-day general window. If fewer than half the elements work, or the oven fails, the cooking stove is an essential service that must be restored as soon as practicable; if no repair is arranged within 24 hours, the tenant may authorize a suitable repairer.

What Counts as an Oven

The property must include a functional oven. Tasmania's definition is broader than you might expect — any of these qualify:

• A conventional built-in oven
• A convection oven
• A dedicated microwave oven

A standard countertop microwave satisfies the oven requirement. This matters for studio apartments and smaller properties where a built-in oven may not be practical.

Sink and Water

The kitchen must have a sink supplied with running hot and cold water, plus reasonable bench space for food preparation. "Reasonable" is not defined by a specific measurement, but a kitchen with no bench space at all — just a sink and a stove — would likely fail.

Appliance Maintenance and Certification

If replacement involves electrical or gas-fitting work, the installation must be done by the appropriate licensed trade:

• Fixed electrical connections: licensed electrician, who issues a Certificate of Electrical Compliance (CEC) filed with TechSafe Australia
• Gas appliances: licensed gas fitter, who issues a Gas Fitting Notice (GFN) filed with the Director of Gas Safety within 48 hours

Keep both certificates for 10 years. They are evidence of compliant installation if a dispute arises.

Penalties

A cooking facilities breach under Part 3B carries the standard maximum of 50 penalty units ($10,650 at the FY 2026–27 rate of $213 per unit). A non-functional stove at the start of a tenancy is also grounds for the tenant to issue a 14-day notice to terminate the lease.

The Rental Minimum Standards in Tasmania guide walks through every kitchen compliance check — element counts, oven verification, hot water and sink functionality — as part of the full pre-letting audit.

See more Tasmania guides →