Urgent repairs in South Australia: what renters can do
An urgent repair is a problem you didn't cause that is likely to cause injury, damage to your belongings or real inconvenience, for example a gas leak. The home must also meet the minimum housing standards.
Your rights in plain English
- Tell your agent or landlord as soon as possible (call, then confirm in writing).
- They must act with reasonable diligence once they know.
- If they don't, you can arrange the repair yourself. Use a licensed tradesperson, who must give the landlord a report on the cause and the work done. You can recover your reasonable costs.
- If you're not paid back, apply to SACAT.
Put it in writing, with your rights spelled out
Our free email tool writes the message to your agent for South Australia, 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 1995 (SA), and you are required to act with reasonable diligence to fix it.
- If it is not fixed, I am entitled to have it repaired by a licensed tradesperson and to recover my reasonable costs, through SACAT if necessary.
Where to get help
Consumer and Business Services (131 882) · SACAT · RentRight SA.
Source: Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA). General information only, not legal advice. Last checked October 2026. Check your state's tenancy authority for your situation.