In Victoria, rental laws (the Residential Tenancies Act 1997) are very specific about what a landlord must fix immediately. You do not have to live with a broken heater in winter or a leaking toilet.
Under Victorian law, urgent repairs include:
If the repair is urgent and the landlord or agent is not responding, you can authorise repairs up to $2,500 yourself. You must then give the landlord a written notice asking for reimbursement within 7 days.
If the landlord refuses to pay or fix the issue, you can apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Applications for urgent repairs are usually heard within 2 business days.
Did you know you can also claim compensation if you suffered loss? For example, if your heater was broken for 3 weeks in July, you can claim a reduction in rent for that period via VCAT.
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