Who's Responsible for Plumbing Repairs in a Perth Rental?

Plumbing issues in a Perth rental property can quickly turn into a dispute if responsibilities aren't clear. WA's Residential Tenancies Act sets out who pays for what — but there's room for interpretation, and understanding the rules protects both tenants and landlords.

Landlord Responsibilities for Plumbing

Landlords in Western Australia are legally required to maintain rental properties in a reasonable state of repair. For plumbing, this means: repairing structural leaks and burst pipes, maintaining the hot water system in working order, ensuring sewerage and drainage systems function correctly, and fixing blocked drains caused by normal wear and tear or tree root intrusion.

These repairs must be carried out within a reasonable time after the landlord is notified. For urgent repairs (defined in the Residential Tenancies Act as including loss of hot water supply, gas leaks, and serious flooding), landlords must act within 24 hours.

Tenant Responsibilities

Tenants are responsible for damage caused by their own misuse or negligence. This includes: blockages caused by foreign objects put down the drain (wet wipes, cooking fat, food scraps), damage caused by tenant modifications to plumbing (even minor ones), and failing to report known leaks promptly — if a small leak you knew about causes further damage, you may be liable for the additional cost.

Tenants should report all plumbing issues to their property manager in writing (email or the property management portal) and keep a copy. This protects you if a slow-moving repair causes further damage.

Urgent Repairs — What Tenants Can Do

Under WA tenancy law, if a landlord fails to carry out an urgent repair within a reasonable time after notification, a tenant may arrange the repair themselves and seek reimbursement from the landlord, up to $1,000 for a single urgent repair.

Keep all receipts and written communications. The repair must be carried out by a licensed tradesperson. Document the issue with photos and timestamps before and after the repair.

Strata Properties

In strata-titled properties (apartments, villas), plumbing within the lot is typically the owner's responsibility, while shared infrastructure is managed by the strata company. The strata plan and by-laws define the exact boundary — ask your property manager or the strata manager if you're unsure.