A repair request becomes much easier to act on when it answers four questions: what is wrong, when it started, how it affects the property or occupants, and whether it meets Queensland's emergency-repair definition. The next step depends on that classification.
In this guide 10 sections
Quick answer: notify the property manager or owner as soon as possible and keep a written record. For a routine repair, allow a reasonable time, formalise the request with Form 11 if needed, then use RTA conciliation before applying to QCAT. For an emergency repair, use the contact named in the agreement and follow the separate urgent process below.
General information only: This guide covers ordinary Queensland residential tenancies and is not legal, safety, building, financial or tenancy advice. Emergencies, natural disasters, rooming accommodation, moveable dwellings, body corporate property, domestic and family violence, health risks and unusual agreements can involve different rules. If anyone is in immediate danger, contact the appropriate emergency service.
The legal starting point: the property must stay fit and in good repair
Section 185 of the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 requires the lessor to maintain the premises so they remain fit for the tenant to live in, keep the premises and inclusions in good repair, comply with relevant health and safety laws, and continue meeting prescribed minimum housing standards.
The tenant also has a duty. Section 217 requires a tenant who knows that the premises or inclusions are damaged to notify the correct person as soon as practicable. The contact depends on whether the problem is routine or emergency and on the emergency contact details in the tenancy agreement.
Who normally pays? The RTA says the owner is generally responsible for repairs unless the tenant or a guest caused the damage. A disagreement about cause does not make the physical problem disappear. Record the condition and keep the repair issue separate from any later cost dispute.
First decision: routine or emergency repair?
Queensland law does not use everyday urgency alone. Section 214 contains the legal list of emergency repairs. A routine repair is any repair that is not an emergency repair.
| Emergency repair examples in the Act | Likely routine examples |
|---|---|
| Burst water service or serious water service leak | Slow-dripping tap that is contained and not causing damage |
| Blocked or broken toilet system | Loose internal door handle that still operates safely |
| Serious roof leak, gas leak or dangerous electrical fault | Damaged flyscreen or a non-essential light fitting |
| Failure of gas, electricity or water supply | Worn cupboard hinge or damaged paint |
| Failure of an essential hot-water, cooking or heating service or appliance | Minor appliance defect where the supplied appliance remains safely usable |
| Fault making the premises unsafe or insecure, or likely to injure, damage property or unduly inconvenience a tenant | Maintenance that does not meet any emergency category |
| Work required for compliance with minimum housing standards | Cosmetic work that is not needed for safety, function or repair |
The examples in the routine column are practical illustrations only. The facts can change the classification. A small leak that is spreading into a wall, damaging cabinetry or creating an electrical risk may fit an emergency category. Describe the actual risk and damage rather than relying only on a label.
Minimum housing standards cover matters including weatherproofing, structural soundness, safe fixtures, accessible external locks or latches, freedom from tenant-unrelated vermin, damp and mould, adequate plumbing and drainage, hot and cold drinking water, bathroom privacy, a flushable toilet, a functioning cooktop where a kitchen is provided, and necessary laundry plumbing where laundry facilities are provided. A repair needed to restore compliance is classified as an emergency repair.
Report the problem so someone can act on it
For routine repairs, the RTA says the tenant should notify the property manager or owner in writing as soon as possible. Emergency contact can be verbal, but following up by email or text is good practice because it confirms what was reported.
- The property address and the room or inclusion affected.
- A plain description of what is happening, including sound, smell, visible damage or loss of use.
- When you first noticed it and whether it is getting worse.
- Any immediate safety, security, water, electrical or property-damage risk.
- Clear photos or a short video, without entering an unsafe area.
- Reasonable access times and the best contact number.
- A request for the repair plan, tradesperson and expected timing in writing.
Suggested wording: “I am reporting a repair at [address]. The issue is [facts], first noticed on [date]. It is affecting [use, safety or property] because [brief impact]. Photos are attached. Please confirm who will attend, the proposed timing and any access arrangements.”
Do not exaggerate and do not diagnose beyond what you can safely observe. “Water is dripping from the joint beneath the sink and the cabinet base is becoming wet” is more useful than guessing which part has failed.
If it is an emergency repair
- Make the area safe without taking repair risks. Keep people away from hazards and contact emergency services where appropriate. Do not touch dangerous electrical equipment, gas systems or unsafe structures.
- Check the tenancy agreement. It must identify the nominated emergency repairer and say whether the property manager, owner or repairer is the first contact.
- Make reasonable contact attempts. Call the listed first contact promptly. Note the time, number used, answer received and any instructions. Follow up in writing where possible.
- Escalate only within the emergency rules. If you cannot notify the responsible contact, or the repair is not made within a reasonable time after notice, section 218 allows a tenant, other than under a short moveable-dwelling tenancy, to arrange a suitably qualified person or apply to QCAT for orders about the repair.
- Respect the statutory cost limit. The maximum amount the tenant may incur for emergency repairs is equal to four weeks' rent. This is a cap, not a target or an automatic right to spend it.
- Keep every document. Save contact attempts, quotes, licence or qualification details where relevant, invoices, receipts, photos and the completed work record.
If the tenant properly pays for emergency repairs, section 219 allows the tenant to require reimbursement or direct payment to the repairer. The request must be in writing, supported by appropriate documents, and state that the tenant may apply to QCAT if the lessor does not comply within seven days after receiving it. The RTA describes this as giving a minimum of seven days.
An application for an emergency repair order is an urgent tenancy dispute. QCAT says RTA conciliation is not required before an urgent application. Form 2 or the QCase process is used, and the requested order, tenancy agreement and relevant evidence should be included.
If a routine repair remains unresolved
The owner or manager must ensure the repair is made within a reasonable timeframe. There is no single number of days that makes every routine repair overdue. The RTA says severity, tradesperson availability and parts delays can be relevant, and the managing party should communicate about delays and manage expectations.
- Send the first written report. Ask for a practical repair date or next update date.
- Follow up with the history attached. State what has changed, what remains unusable and the response received so far.
- Consider Form 11. If self-resolution has not worked, a tenant in a general tenancy may issue a Notice to remedy breach, Form 11. For a general breach, the notice must allow at least seven days to remedy the breach. Keep a copy. It is not sent to the RTA.
- Request RTA conciliation. If the issue remains unresolved, lodge a tenancy dispute request online or use Dispute resolution request, Form 16. The RTA's free conciliators help the parties negotiate but do not decide who is right.
- Use the NURD if QCAT is needed. Routine repair orders are non-urgent tenancy disputes. QCAT requires RTA dispute resolution first and a Notice of Unresolved Dispute attached to the Form 2 application.
Do not arrange a routine repair without written permission. The RTA specifically warns tenants not to organise routine repairs without written approval. Doing so can create disputes about access, scope, qualification, damage and payment.
Build an evidence file around the repair, not the frustration
A long chain of angry messages can still leave the important facts unclear. Keep a short repair chronology and organise the underlying documents.
| Record | What it should show |
|---|---|
| Entry condition report | Whether the issue existed or was recorded at the start |
| Dated photos or video | The condition, location and changes over time |
| Repair messages | When notice was given, to whom, and the facts reported |
| Contact log | Calls, voicemail, emergency contact attempts and responses |
| Access record | Dates offered, notices received, appointments and attendance |
| Impact notes | Loss of use, safety concerns, damaged belongings or extra costs |
| Professional material | Quotes, reports, invoices, receipts and qualification details |
| Formal process | Form 11, Form 16, NURD and any QCAT documents |
Photograph the wider room as well as the close-up so the location is clear. If the issue is changing, take comparable photos from the same safe viewpoint. Keep original files and avoid editing away dates or context.
What a QCAT repair order can do
A repair order is a legally binding order about routine or emergency repairs. QCAT must consider the conduct of the lessor and agent, the risk of injury, and the loss of amenity. It may also consider other relevant matters.
Depending on the case, an order may identify what must be repaired, set a completion date, allow a suitably qualified person to do the work for an amount decided by QCAT, decide who pays, reduce rent until the work reaches the ordered standard, award compensation for loss of amenity, require an assessment, or provide that the tenancy ends if the repair is not completed by the stated date.
The RTA encourages tenants applying for a repair order to name all relevant parties, including the property owner, and to consider obtaining a quote from a suitably qualified tradesperson so the requested scope and cost are clear. The owner's details may be in the tenancy agreement or available from the property manager.
A repair order continues to apply to the property until it is complied with and does not end merely because a particular tenancy ends. Failure to comply without reasonable excuse is an offence. The RTA can investigate non-compliance where a repair order exists and its deadline, including any extension, has passed.
Five mistakes that can weaken a repair response
- Stopping rent. The RTA says tenants should never stop paying rent to force repairs. Non-payment can breach the agreement.
- Deducting a self-chosen amount. A written agreement or QCAT order may provide a rent reduction. A tenant should not create one unilaterally.
- Using the emergency path for every delay. Emergency repair is a legal category. Use the facts and the statutory list.
- Authorising routine work without written approval. This can leave scope and payment disputed.
- Ending the tenancy without checking the ground and notice process. Unresolved repairs, minimum housing standards, a repair order, hardship and an ordinary break lease are different pathways. Read the relevant rules before giving notice. The Queensland hardship guide explains one separate option where severe circumstances apply.
Rooming accommodation also follows different steps. The RTA says all rooming-accommodation repairs are treated as routine, the relevant breach notice is Form R11 with at least five days, and the repair-order provisions do not apply. QCAT may instead make other orders about a breach of the rooming accommodation agreement.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Queensland landlord have to make routine repairs?
Queensland law and RTA guidance use a reasonable-time standard rather than one universal number of days for every routine repair. Severity, loss of use and tradesperson or parts availability can matter. If a tenant gives a Notice to remedy breach, Form 11, the notice must allow at least seven days for a general tenancy breach.
Can a Queensland tenant stop paying rent until repairs are completed?
No. The RTA says tenants should not stop paying rent because of a repair issue, as non-payment may breach the tenancy agreement. A rent reduction can be negotiated in writing or may be included in a QCAT repair order, but tenants should not create their own rent deduction.
Can a tenant arrange repairs themselves in Queensland?
A tenant should not arrange routine repairs without written permission. For an emergency repair, a tenant may arrange a suitably qualified person if the tenant cannot notify the responsible contact or the repair is not made within a reasonable time after notice. The statutory limit is an amount equal to four weeks' rent.
What counts as an emergency repair in a Queensland rental?
The Act lists matters such as a burst or seriously leaking water service, blocked or broken toilet system, serious roof or gas leak, dangerous electrical fault, serious storm or flood damage, loss of essential utilities, unsafe or insecure premises, and faults likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a tenant. Work needed to meet minimum housing standards is also classified as emergency repairs.
Does a tenant need Form 11 before applying for an emergency repair order?
No. An emergency repair application is an urgent tenancy matter and does not require RTA conciliation first. The tenant still needs to follow the emergency contact and notice steps that apply to the circumstances and should keep evidence of those attempts.
Can QCAT order reduced rent or compensation for unresolved repairs?
When granting a repair order, QCAT may make orders about who arranges and pays for repairs, a completion date, reduced rent until work reaches the ordered standard, and compensation for loss of amenity. The actual order depends on the evidence and circumstances.
The bottom line
Start with the repair category, not the length of the email chain. Report the facts promptly, preserve the evidence and ask for a dated plan. Use the emergency process only where the legal definition applies. For an unresolved routine repair, move in sequence from written notice to Form 11, RTA conciliation and, if needed, a QCAT repair order.
Keep the cost question separate if the repair changes your moving plans.
Use the free Queensland calculatorGeneral information only: This article is not legal, safety, building, financial or tenancy advice. Laws, forms and procedures can change. Check your agreement, the current Act and RTA guidance, and obtain advice for your circumstances. Last reviewed 7 September 2026.