Urgent repairs in New South Wales: what renters can do
Urgent repairs include: a burst water service, an appliance wasting a lot of water, blocked or broken toilet, serious roof leak, gas leak, dangerous electrical fault, flooding, serious storm or fire damage, failure of gas, electricity or water supply, no hot water, cooking, heating, cooling or laundry, and anything that makes the home unsafe or insecure.
Your rights in plain English
- Tell your agent or landlord straight away, ideally in writing, and keep records.
- They must get the repair done promptly.
- If you can't reach them, or they don't act, you can arrange it yourself and be paid back up to $1,000 within 14 days of giving them written notice and receipts. You must not have caused the damage, must have tried to contact them, must try the tradesperson named in your lease first (if any), and must use a licensed or qualified person.
- Not resolved? Complain to NSW Fair Trading (free), then apply to NCAT.
Put it in writing, with your rights spelled out
Our free email tool writes the message to your agent for New South Wales, quoting your rights. Keep dated photos and a record you can use at the end of your lease.
The email tool is free. The $29 Tenancy Pass adds your condition report and dated record for the whole lease, incl. GST, with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
What your email should say
- This is an urgent repair under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW), and I ask that you arrange it immediately.
- If the repair is not arranged promptly, I am entitled to arrange it through a licensed tradesperson. You must then reimburse my costs, up to $1,000, within 14 days of my written notice.
Where to get help
NSW Fair Trading (13 32 20) · NCAT · Tenants' Union NSW.
Source: Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW). General information only, not legal advice. Last checked October 2026. Check your state's tenancy authority for your situation.