Urgent Repairs in NSW Rental Properties: Landlord Obligations and Deadlines

What Counts as an Urgent Repair in NSW?

Section 62 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 defines urgent repairs as specified work needed to repair defects or damage. The statutory list includes:

• A burst water service or a serious water leak
• A broken or malfunctioning water appliance, fitting, or fixture that wastes a substantial amount of water
• 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 the gas, electricity, or water supply
• A failure or breakdown of any essential service for hot water, cooking, heating, cooling, or laundering
• A fault or damage that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
• Any other damage prescribed by the regulations

The Act also excludes work needed to repair premises owned by someone other than the landlord or a person with superior title, such as a head landlord. If the tenant reports a listed issue, it is an urgent repair by statutory definition.

Smoke alarms are also treated as urgent, but separate rules apply: a non-working alarm must be repaired or replaced within 2 business days.

How Fast Must You Respond?

The Act does not set a single number of hours for urgent repairs. The landlord must act promptly; the response needed depends on the defect and the risk it presents.

Document the report and your response. Do not wait for a routine inspection to arrange work on a listed urgent repair.

The Tenant's Self-Help Right

If you fail to respond to an urgent repair within a reasonable time, the tenant has a statutory self-help right. They can arrange the repair themselves, using a licensed tradesperson, for up to $1,000.

You must reimburse the tenant for the reasonable cost within 14 days of receiving written notice of the repair costs and supporting receipts. The tenant must have made a reasonable attempt to contact you, given you a reasonable opportunity to make the repair, used a nominated tradesperson where the agreement names one, and used a licensed or otherwise qualified person where appropriate.

The statutory self-help reimbursement cap is $1,000. A repair costing more is outside that capped reimbursement process, so do not assume the excess will be reimbursed under Section 64.

Emergency Entry Without Notice

For genuine emergencies — a gas leak, flooding, or a dangerous electrical fault — you or your agent can enter the property without giving notice.

Emergency entry is strictly limited to arresting the immediate danger or preventing further damage. It does not authorise a general property inspection.

Common Urgent Repair Scenarios

Hot water failure: A complete loss of hot water is an essential service breakdown and qualifies as an urgent repair. Engage a licensed plumber or hot water specialist promptly. A slow hot water system that takes longer than usual is not urgent — but a system that produces no hot water at all is.

Blocked toilet: A blocked or broken toilet is listed as an urgent repair. Arrange a repair promptly, whether or not the property has a second functioning toilet.

Dangerous electrical fault: Any exposed wiring, sparking outlet, or tripped safety switch that will not reset is urgent. Engage a licensed electrician immediately. Do not advise the tenant to "switch it off and wait."

Documenting Your Response

For every urgent repair:

1. Record the date and time the tenant reported the issue
2. Record the date and time you contacted the tradesperson
3. Keep the trade invoice showing the licence number and work completed
4. Follow up with the tenant to confirm the repair resolved the issue

This documentation protects you if the tenant later claims you were unresponsive, and it feeds into your compliance records for NCAT.

The Rental Minimum Standards in New South Wales guide includes an Urgent Repair Decision Worksheet that walks through the triage process and a Compliance Tracking Log for recording every repair response.

See more New South Wales guides →