Urgent repairs in Northern Territory: what renters can do
Emergency repairs include: a burst water service, blocked or broken toilet, serious roof leak, gas leak, dangerous electrical fault, flooding, serious storm, fire or impact damage, failure of gas, electricity or water supply, failure of an essential water or cooking service, and anything that makes the home unsafe or insecure.
Your rights in plain English
- Tell your landlord as soon as you can, and put it in writing. You need written notice to take it further.
- They must repair it within 5 business days of your written notice, or arrange it within 5 business days and finish within 14 days.
- You can only arrange it yourself if the home is unsafe, uninhabitable or insecure, you didn't cause it, you gave written notice, and it wasn't fixed (or arranged) within 7 business days. Use the nominated repairer, or the cheaper of 2 quotes. The cap is 2 weeks' rent.
- Not resolved? Apply to NTCAT.
Put it in writing, with your rights spelled out
Our free email tool writes the message to your agent for Northern Territory, 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 emergency repair under the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 (NT). You must repair it within 5 business days of this written notice, or arrange it within 5 business days and complete it within 14 days.
- If this does not happen, I may arrange the repair myself up to 2 weeks' rent and recover the cost, or apply to NTCAT.
Where to get help
NT Consumer Affairs (1800 019 319) · NTCAT · Darwin Community Legal Service.
Source: Residential Tenancies Act 1999 (NT). General information only, not legal advice. Last checked October 2026. Check your state's tenancy authority for your situation.