In South Australia, a non-urgent repair is any defect that does not threaten safety, security or essential services. You must fix it within a reasonable time after the tenant tells you about it. The law sets no fixed number of days. If you delay without good reason, the tenant can arrange the work through a licensed tradesperson and recover the reasonable cost from you. They can also take the matter to SACAT.
This guide covers what the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) requires, how to define "reasonable", what notice you must give before entering, and how to run a repair process that protects the asset and your standing if a dispute arises.
TL;DR
- Your duty to repair starts when you have notice of the defect. From then you must act with reasonable diligence (s 68, Residential Tenancies Act 1995).
- "Reasonable time" has no statutory number of days. It depends on the repair, the trades available and the effect on the tenant (SA.GOV.AU).
- You cannot contract out of repair obligations. A lease clause that pushes core maintenance onto the tenant is void (Law Handbook).
- Give written notice before entering for repairs, and keep a record of every request, quote and completion.
- A neglected minor issue can become an urgent one, with tighter timelines and costs you did not approve.
Table of Contents
- What counts as a non-urgent repair in South Australia
- What the law requires from you
- How long is a reasonable time?
- Entering the property to carry out repairs
- What happens if a non-urgent repair is not done
- A repair process that holds up
- Interstate and overseas owners
- Our view: treat the routine repair as the cheapest risk control
- Working with HOSO on repairs and compliance
- Common mistakes to avoid
- FAQ
- Sources
What counts as a non-urgent repair in South Australia
The Act does not list every non-urgent repair. In practice, it is any repair that is not urgent. Urgent repairs involve a risk to safety, a threat to the structure, or loss of an essential service. Everything else is routine.
Typical non-urgent items in an Adelaide rental include:
- A dripping tap or a slow-draining basin
- A cracked tile or worn grout
- A faulty cupboard hinge or drawer runner
- A damaged flyscreen
- A stuck window or sliding door that still locks
- Peeling paint or minor plaster cracking
- A single failed oven element when other cooking facilities work
The line moves with circumstances. A dripping tap is routine. The same tap flooding a laundry in a Glenelg unit is not. When a tenant describes a problem, the first job is to classify it correctly. If the facts are unclear, treat it as more serious until a tradesperson confirms otherwise.
What the law requires from you
Under section 68 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1995, you must keep the premises in a reasonable state of repair. That is judged against the property's age, character and expected life. A 1960s brick home in Prospect is not held to the standard of a new townhouse in Mawson Lakes. It must still be maintained.
Two points catch landlords out.
The obligation applies even if the tenant knew about the defect. A tenant who signed a lease on a property with a worn bathroom has not waived their right to ask for repairs.
The duty is triggered by notice. You are not in breach until you know of the defect and fail to act with reasonable diligence. This is why a documented request matters to both sides. The tenant can use the official Request for Repairs form or put the request in writing another way.
The Legal Services Commission's Law Handbook is clear that these obligations cannot be contracted out of. If your lease or a house-rules sheet says the tenant pays for all repairs, that clause does not hold.
For the wider picture, see our guide to landlord obligations in South Australia.
How long is a reasonable time?
Landlords ask this more than any other question, and the honest answer is that no statutory number exists. SA.GOV.AU says you must carry out repairs within a reasonable time. You will see fixed periods quoted online, such as 14 days. Treat those as rules of thumb, not law.
In practice, a reasonable time is the period a competent owner needs to do three things:
- Acknowledge the request and understand the problem.
- Engage a suitably qualified tradesperson and get them on site.
- Complete the work and confirm it is fixed.
A sticking door might take a few days. A bathroom exhaust fan needing an electrician might take longer, because of trade availability. A replacement part on back-order is a legitimate reason for delay, but only if you tell the tenant and record it.
What tends to fail at SACAT is silence. A tenant who hears nothing for three weeks will find it hard to accept that the delay was reasonable, however good your reasons were.
A simple benchmark
| Stage | Good practice |
|---|---|
| Request received | Acknowledge in writing within one or two business days |
| Assessment | Classify the repair and decide on a tradesperson |
| Booking | Give the tenant an expected date or window |
| Delay | Tell the tenant in writing, with the reason and a new date |
| Completion | Confirm with the tenant and file the invoice or report |
These are our working standards, not statutory deadlines. They show a tribunal that you acted diligently.
Entering the property to carry out repairs
Arranging a repair means someone enters the home. For non-urgent repairs, you must give the tenant at least 48 hours' written notice, unless the tenant has requested the entry. The Law Handbook's repairs page sets out this requirement, and the right of entry page explains that only a genuine emergency allows entry at any time without notice.
Entering without notice or consent can undermine your position if the matter reaches SACAT. A landlord who is in the right about the repair can still look bad if the entry was unlawful.
Good practice:
- Put the entry notice in writing and state the purpose, date and time window.
- Name the tradesperson or company attending.
- Offer the tenant a chance to be home, or confirm they are happy for access in their absence.
- Keep the notice with the job file.
Repair visits are separate from routine inspections. Under the tenancy reforms, a landlord or agent may inspect no more than four times a year, with 7 to 28 days' notice. You cannot use repair visits as extra inspections.
What happens if a non-urgent repair is not done
The tenant has options once they have notified you and you have not acted with reasonable diligence.
Self-help. SA.GOV.AU explains that, under specific conditions, a tenant may arrange the repair through a licensed tradesperson and recover the reasonable cost from you. They need to obtain a report on the cause and the work carried out. This is a real cost risk. You lose control of the choice of trade, the scope and the timing.
SACAT. A tenant can apply to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Before bringing a dispute, the parties should first give each other notice to correct the breach. A tribunal can look at your response history. A clean paper trail is your best defence.
Escalation. Neglected issues grow. A small roof leak becomes a ceiling collapse. A weeping valve becomes water damage in a bedroom. Once a problem becomes urgent, the timelines tighten and the tenant has more room to act on their own. Prompt handling of routine matters keeps them routine.
For tenants who are responsible for damage, the picture is different. A tenant must not intentionally or negligently cause or permit damage, and is responsible for damage they or their guests cause (Law Handbook). Document the cause carefully before you decide who bears the cost.
A repair process that holds up
We suggest running every non-urgent request the same way.
- Log it. Record the date, the tenant's description and any photos. Ask for the written form if the request came by phone.
- Acknowledge it. Reply in writing the same or next business day.
- Classify it. Routine, urgent, or tenant-caused damage. If uncertain, ask a tradesperson to assess.
- Quote and approve. Get a quote where the job is above your pre-approved limit. Agree that limit with your property manager in advance so small jobs do not stall.
- Notify entry. Give at least 48 hours' written notice.
- Complete and verify. Get the tradesperson's report, photos and confirmation from the tenant.
- File it. Keep the whole sequence. It also helps at tax time and at the next lease renewal.
Our guide to proactive maintenance scheduling shows how to catch many of these items before the tenant has to raise them. If you hold a higher-end property, the luxury rental maintenance standards article covers the higher expectations that come with it.
Interstate and overseas owners
If you live in Sydney, Perth or overseas, the risk is the delay between a tenant's request and any action. A message sitting in an inbox for a week is the commonest cause of a dispute we see described by owners. The fix is a process, not a person. Pre-agree a repair approval limit, a short list of licensed trades, and one point of contact who can act without waiting for you.
When the Act speaks of notice to the landlord, notice to your agent normally serves the same purpose. That makes a responsive agent the practical protection for an absent owner.
Our view: treat the routine repair as the cheapest risk control
We manage rentals only. We do not sell property, so our attention is on how an asset performs over years, not on the next listing. From that angle, non-urgent repairs are the clearest place where a small amount of discipline protects a large amount of value.
Three things we hold to:
- Respond before you diagnose. Tenants judge a landlord by the first reply. Acknowledging a request quickly does more to avoid a dispute than any single repair.
- Keep the record complete. The Act turns on notice and reasonable diligence. Both are questions of evidence. If it is not written down, it is hard to prove.
- Fix the cause, not the symptom. A repainted patch over a damp wall is a future urgent repair. We ask the tradesperson to name the cause and we file that report.
Our owners can see requests, quotes and completions in the 24/7 owner portal, so nothing depends on a phone call being returned. That transparency is the same discipline described above, applied by default.
— HOSO
Working with HOSO on repairs and compliance
If you would rather not run this process yourself, our property management service covers maintenance coordination, routine inspections and lease administration for Adelaide landlords. If you are considering a change of manager, a rental appraisal is a good first step to see how we assess your property and its condition.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for a second request. One written notice is enough to start your duty.
- Entering without notice. Even a friendly walk-through for a quote needs notice or consent.
- Relying on a lease clause. A clause that shifts core repairs to the tenant is void.
- Using verbal approvals. Confirm everything in writing, including delays.
- Treating all repairs as the tenant's fault. Wear and tear is the owner's responsibility.
- Ignoring compliance duties. Repairs sit beside smoke alarms, minimum housing standards and other obligations. Our Adelaide rental compliance overview covers them.
FAQ
How long do I have to complete a non-urgent repair in SA?
The Act requires you to act with reasonable diligence after notice. It sets no number of days. SA.GOV.AU frames it as a reasonable time, which depends on the repair and the tenant's situation. Communicate early and record any delay.
Can I contract out of repair obligations in the lease?
No. The Law Handbook confirms that landlords cannot contract out of their repair duties under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995. A clause that tries to shift core maintenance to the tenant is void and unenforceable.
Do I need to give notice before entering for a repair?
Yes. For non-urgent repairs you need at least 48 hours' written notice unless the tenant asks for the work or agrees otherwise, as set out in the Law Handbook. Entry without notice or consent can count against you in a SACAT dispute.
Can a tenant arrange the repair themselves?
In specific circumstances, yes. If you have been notified and have not acted with reasonable diligence, the tenant may use a licensed tradesperson and seek the reasonable cost from you, provided they obtain a report on the cause and the work done. See the SA.GOV.AU guidance.
Who pays if the tenant caused the damage?
A tenant is responsible for damage they cause intentionally or negligently, including damage caused by their guests (Law Handbook). Normal wear and tear remains the landlord's responsibility. Document the cause with photos and a tradesperson's report before you decide.
Sources
- Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA), section 68
- SA.GOV.AU: Repairs and maintenance in private rental properties
- Law Handbook: The landlord's obligations
- Law Handbook: Repairs
- Law Handbook: The landlord's right of entry
- Consumer and Business Services: Tenancy reforms for landlords and agents
- SACAT: Housing and rentals, breaches