When Is a Plumbing Repair the Landlord’s Job?

Picture it: the hot water cuts out halfway through a shower, or a tap that’s been dripping for weeks suddenly gets worse. If you rent, the next questions are usually the same: whose job is it to fix it, and who pays?

Rental plumbing problems are covered by clear rules in Western Australia, and the answer depends on how urgent the problem is and who caused it. This article explains when a plumbing repair is the landlord’s job, what counts as urgent, what tenants are responsible for, and how to get a plumbing fix moving when a repair isn’t getting done.

Who Is Responsible for Plumbing in a Rental?

In Western Australia, the landlord must maintain their property in a reasonable state of repair. This includes hot and cold water supplies, essential services such as sewerage and gas, and any wear and tear to the property. The tenant is only responsible if they caused the plumbing issue through misuse or neglect.

The tenant must inform the landlord immediately of any damage to the property. If it is an urgent repair, a failure of an essential service such as sewerage, or a hot water system failure, repairs must be undertaken by the landlord within 24 hours. All other urgent repairs must be undertaken within 48 hours.

The landlord must also ensure that their property complies with Western Australian building, health and safety laws.

What Counts as an Urgent Plumbing Repair?

Let’s take a closer look at what is defined as an urgent plumbing repair. For an urgent repair, a landlord must have it repaired within 24 hours. This includes sewage issues or water supply issues. Other urgent repairs, such as a roof leak, are given 48 hours to be repaired.

Essential Services (24-Hour Action Required)

For these critical issues, the landlord or property manager must contact an appropriate, licensed tradesperson to arrange the repair within 24 hours of being notified. Plumbing issues in this category include:

• Burst water services: A ruptured main pipe, a burst pipe or a major water leak that forces the tenant to shut off the main water valve.
• Complete failure of the hot water system: Having no hot water at all.
• Sewerage, septic, or wastewater failures: Blocked, broken, or overflowing toilet systems, or major sewage/septic leaks.
• Gas leaks: Any suspected gas line leak or major fault with gas-plumbed appliances.

Other Urgent Repairs (48-Hour Action Required)

These plumbing issues do not completely cut off an essential service but are still considered urgent because they threaten a tenant’s safety, risk structural damage, or cause ‘undue hardship’ to the tenant.

The landlord must arrange a repairer within 48 hours:

• Serious roof or ceiling leaks: Internal flooding or heavy water flow inside the home caused by storms or damaged roof plumbing.
• Dangerous hot water faults: Issues like a malfunctioning hot water system that intermittently shoots out dangerously scalding water, risking severe injury.
• Blocked drains affecting habitability: Drains that are backed up enough to cause flooding or prevent the tenant from safely using household facilities.

Everyday Rental Plumbing Fixes

For non-urgent plumbing-related repairs, the tenant must make the request in writing, through email, letter or by filling in Form 23. The landlord is legally required to resolve these issues within a reasonable timeframe, which is typically 1 to 2 weeks.

Non-urgent plumbing repairs include:

• Leaking Taps and Showerheads: It is the landlord’s responsibility to fix or replace tapware, washers, or faulty mixer cartridges resulting from normal wear and tear.
• Blocked Drains (Sinks & Showers): This is a shared responsibility. Tenants are responsible for keeping drains clear of routine debris like hair, grease, and food chunks. However, if the blockage is caused by tree root intrusion or old collapsed pipework, it is the landlord’s responsibility.
• Mould and Mildew: If bathroom mould builds up due to structurally faulty exhaust fans or a lack of ventilation fixtures, the landlord must fix it. If the tenant simply fails to open windows or run installed fans, the tenant is responsible.

What Is the Tenant Responsible For?

Repairs aren’t all on the landlord. Tenants have responsibilities of their own, and knowing them helps a plumbing problem get fixed faster and keeps the tenant from paying for something that isn’t theirs to cover. In a Western Australian rental, tenants are expected to:

• Tell the landlord about any damage to the home.
• Keep paying rent while waiting for a repair.
• Request non-urgent repairs in writing.
• Keep records of requests, permissions, quotes, invoices and receipts.
• Get written permission before organising non-urgent repairs, or before any upgrade, such as replacing a broken hot water system with a larger one.
• Pay for repairs if the tenant, their guests or their pets caused the damage. This doesn’t include fair wear and tear.
• If the landlord asks them to fix damage they caused, complete the repair within 14 days, to the original condition. Otherwise the landlord can claim the costs from the bond.

What If the Landlord Doesn’t Respond?

If a tenant is unable to reach a landlord or property manager to have an urgent repair fixed within 24 or 48 hours, the WA law allows them to hire a fully licensed plumber to fix the problem. This law does not place a dollar cap on the cost of repairs, but those costs must be deemed ‘reasonable’. The landlord is then legally required to reimburse the tenant the full amount of those emergency costs as soon as possible.

The tenant must continue to pay rent normally during this repair dispute. If there are any escalations required, the tenant can do this through WA Consumer Protection.

How to Report a Plumbing Problem

In Western Australia, tenants should report plumbing problems in writing to their landlord or property manager as soon as possible. If the property is public housing, report it directly to Housing Direct at 1300 137 677.

Step 1. Classify the issue. The tenant needs to be clear if it is an urgent issue, such as a burst pipe or broken hot water service. These require urgent attention within 24 hours, and the landlord must arrange repairs as soon as possible.

If it is a non-urgent issue, such as a dripping tap or a slow-draining sink, the landlord has up to 2 weeks to arrange a repair.

Step 2. Notify the landlord. For the urgent problems, the tenant must contact their real estate agent or landlord by phone and follow up immediately in writing to create a paper trail.

Rental Plumbing Repairs in Perth

Rental plumbing problems are easier to deal with when you know who’s responsible and who to call, and that goes for landlords, tenants and property managers alike. For urgent repairs, the repairer needs to be suitably qualified, and for plumbing, that means a licensed plumber.

At MCN Plumbing Perth, our licensed and insured plumbers handle rental plumbing repairs across Perth, from a quick plumbing fix for a leaking tap to blocked drains, burst pipes and hot water faults. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies, and if you call before 10:30am, we guarantee a same-day service. You’ll get an upfront, fixed price before any work starts, and there’s no callout fee.

We also offer plumbing for real estate agents. To book a plumber, call us on 0418 871 934 or send an enquiry through our website.