Maintenance of the rental home is a responsibility of both the tenant and landlord. The following covers what you should check throughout the stages of your tenancy.

The landlord must provide and maintain the rental home to minimum standards. They are expected to respond to requests for repairs from tenants in reasonable time.

Property condition reports (PCR) lists everything in and around the property and can show any maintenance issues. PCRs are updated during the tenancy after an inspection, which can happen up to four times a year.

Tenants responsibilities

The tenant must:

• keep the property clean and tidy
• prevent mould by using fans and windows
• prevent pest infestation such as rats and mice
• ask permission to make changes to the home
• be responsible for any damage they, their guests or pets cause
• notify the landlord if any maintenance or repairs are needed.
• not be held responsible for fair wear and tear from general use

Landlord responsibilities

The landlord must:

• keep the home in a reasonable condition
• make sure the home complies with WA building, health and safety laws
• organise or approve repairs to the home. See repairs to a rental home page.
• maintain all fixtures, fittings and services as per the rental agreement e.g. NBN, phone, TV aerial and air conditioning.

The landlord is not required to fix items if they were written as not working in the agreement.

Mould or mildew caused by faults in gutters or other fixtures should be fixed by the landlord. The tenant may be responsible for mould caused by not using the fan or windows in the bathroom.

The landlord is responsible for any damage caused by a someone not connected to the tenant, such as a tradesman, burglar or a storm.

Wear and tear

The tenant is responsible for any damage they cause by not looking after the home. They are not responsible for fair wear and tear. Some examples are:

Minimum standards

The tenant can reasonably expect the home to be kept to the following minimum standards. The landlord is responsible for maintaining these standards.

Safety and security:

The following in working order:

• smoke alarms
• Residual Current Devices (RCDs)
• Secure windows and doors.

See rental home security.

Cleanliness and maintenance:

At the beginning of the tenancy, the home should be

• free from pests and vermin.
• reasonably clean
• in a good state of repair.

Functioning facilities:

The property must have functioning facilities, including:

• hot and cold water systems,
• kitchen and bathroom taps, sinks and other fixtures
• proper drainage.
• Electrical wiring and appliances

Structurally sound, weatherproofed and insulated

The building must be

• structurally sound
• free from hazards, such as leaking roofs
• weatherproof
• insulated to protect tenants from extreme temperatures where necessary.

Moving out

When a rental agreement ends, the landlord must complete a final property inspection and PCR.

The tenant must

• hand back the home in a similar condition to how it was at the start of the agreement.
• clean the home and any gardens
• restore any modifications.
• repair any damage they caused or allowed (by pets or guests) to the property.