Property Maintainence

 

Emergency Repairs

In the case of an emergency, please call our office straightaway.

Emergency items are generally those that could cause injury to the tenant or damage to the property, and include:

  1. A burst water service
  2. An appliance, fitting or fixture that uses water or is used to supply water that is broken or not functioning properly
  3. A blocked or broken lavatory system
  4. A serious roof leak
  5. A gas leak
  6. A dangerous electrical fault
  7. Flooding or serious flood damage
  8. Serious storm or fire damage
  9. A failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the premises
  10. A failure or breakdown of any essential service on the residential premises for hot water, cooking, heating, cooling or laundering

 

General Repairs

We require all repairs to be lodged in writing and submitted to our office. You can lodge written repair requests by emailing your Property Manager or by submitting a Maintenance Request Form on our website.

Some things to be aware of include:

  • Exposed wiring
  • Faulty power points & switches
  • Gas smell or odour
  • Damage to paving &pathways that could cause someone to trip
  • Suspicious or dangerous plants in the garden that are poisonous/toxic or that you may be allergic to them
  • Bee swarms coming on to the property mainly during spring, especially if someone is allergic to bee stings
  • If you need to clean a property with high ceilings or light fittings that are hard to reach, please do so with care and use the appropriate equipment & do not do anything considered unsafe
  • Loose floorboards that could cause someone to fall through them & cause injury
  • Loose balcony railings, steps or decking woodwork
  • Loose or faulty locks, in particular entry doors & screen doors
  • Broken or cracked windows, and broken/loose window locks

 

Air-Conditioners

Please, regularly clean any filters and intake vents to ensure there is no build up of dirt and dust, and that the unit is able to draw in air effectively, not hindering performance, or in the worse case scenario, causing the unit to breakdown resulting in costly repairs and/or replacement. Please also note that if an air conditioner breaks down due to filters and vents not being kept clean, costs to rectify the damage or even replace the unit might be charged to you.

 

Heaters & Fireplaces

Please ensure any combustion heaters are kept clean of ash build up, and also ensure a protective mat is placed in front of the heater to protect against coals and ash falling out and singeing/damaging carpets or floors.For other heaters, please ensure that no combustible or flammable material is placed on or near heaters to avoid a fire risk.

If the property you are renting has a fireplace, this cannot be used unless you have been given permission from us in writing. Sometimes these are ornamental, or the flue/chimney has been blocked up. Using them could cause a fire to occur.

 

Strict No Smoking Policy

All properties have a strict ‘no smoking inside’ policy. If tenants still choose to smoke inside the property they will be responsible for specialised cleaning and deodorising of the inside of the property to reduce and eliminate unpleasant smoke odours. This can easily run into the hundreds of dollars, and will be charged to you.

 

Tenant Painting

It is company policy that you do not paint any part of the property yourselves. We have found in the past that some tenants have not painted the property to a professional standard, resulting in a professional painter being called in to rectify work. It is a policy that any painting can only be carried out by experienced, professional painters with our written permission.

 

Fixtures & Fittings

If you wish to install or remove any fixtures or fittings, you must request this beforehand, in writing.  Your Property Manager will seek approval from the owner, and advise you of the outcome.

 

Smoke Alarms

Should you believe for any reason the smoke alarm(s) installed are not working, please let us know immediately. Protect your safety by being vigilant and report to us any issues, to ensure your safety in the case of a fire.   Changing of batteries in smoke alarms is your responsibility and, as a general rule, should be changed annually.

 

Picture Hooks

If you wish to install any new picture hooks, please request permission, in writing, stating the type of hooks you wish to use. Please assess the type of walls that are in the property, and the type of picture hooks that are suitable. We will advise you, in writing, before you are permitted to install appropriate picture hooks.

 

House Cracking & Movement

Please let us know if you notice any cracks to walls, ceilings and movement. If cracks were in place when you moved in, please let us know if you notice them worsening or growing larger. Please either report these in writing or point them out to us at the routine inspection.

 

Pot Plants

Please keep pot plants outside the property at all times. Pot plants placed inside on hard surfaces, tiles and floors like lino, may leave a circular indent, stains and damage. Pot plants placed on carpet areas run the risk of carpet rot underneath, should moisture overflow or escape even with plates and containers placed underneath to attempt to prevent this.

 

General Cleaning

It is expected that the property be kept reasonably clean, and this is also a General Tenancy Agreement requirement.

 

Oven & Stove Tops

Please ensure that stove tops, grillers and ovens are kept free of burnt on food. Food, crumbs and spills when left long enough become burnt on, blackened and carbonised, making them very difficult to remove.

Please use care when using scourers as these may scratch and damage enamel surfaces. When cleaning stoves/ovens use a spray-on oven cleaner. Be sure to read and follow the product instructions carefully, as even though these types of products are very effective, they tend to contain harmful caustic fumes and require rubber gloves to be worn at all times when using the product. Please also check that the product is suitable to the type of surface you are applying this to, as some surfaces like stainless steel may become permanently marred/stained using an oven cleaner.

 

Exhaust Fans/Vents & Range Hoods

Please ensure any vents and range hood filters are kept clean.

Ensure the exhaust fan cover is clean and kept free of grime build up. From time to time these should be taken down and removed to be soaked in hot soapy water, and then scrubbed clean. Please use extreme caution when removing these. If you believe this is unsafe (i.e. a high exhaust fan), then let us know so we can discuss this with the owner.

 

In the Wet Areas- Bathroom, Toilet & Laundry

Shower Screens

If you notice cracking to glass in shower screens or shower doors please report this to us immediately. Wired shower screen glass can crack under thermal expansion (consistent hot and cold temperatures) where as toughened glass usually only cracks if impacted (hit by something). If the shower screen is cracked due to impact damage, this will in most cases need to be paid by the tenant.

 

Blocked Sinks/Drains

Should a sink or basin become blocked, first try a drain cleaning product like draino. Be sure to follow the product instructions carefully. If the sink or basin is still blocked after treatment, please let us know so we can arrange for a plumber to attend to the problem.

 

Foreign Objects Down Drains

Please take care not to allow children to place toys or other items down drains. If your property has a septic tank system, please do not flush foreign objects like sanitary products down the toilet. Septic tank systems are not able to process this type of material. If a plumber is employed by us to clear pipes, drains, basins or sinks and it is determined that the blockage was caused by something considered foreign, this expense will be billed to the tenant for payment.

 

Loose Tiles

Should you notice loose tiles to walls, the shower recess or to tiles over the laundry trough etc, please be sure to let us know.

 

Wall Water Damage

Should you notice water damage to a wall adjacent to a shower recess, bathroom basin etc please let us know immediately. This can be identified by bubbling or peeling paint, or even water or mould marks to the flooring/carpet. This usually identifies either loose tiles or a broken/leaking pipe in the wall, and will need attending to immediately to prevent further damage from occurring.

 

Taps Leaking

Please report any taps leaking either from a tap head or tap handles. This includes washing machine taps. Sometimes washing machine taps will leak only when connected to automatic washing machine hoses as the tap water pressure exposes leakage in the taps.

 

Toilets Leaking

Water trickling or leaking into the bowl from the cistern usually indicates a worn cistern washer and needs to be fixed by a plumber. Water left to trickle into the bowl continuously may inflate your water bill and therefore needs to be reported to us when noticed. Also leaking may occur to the tap behind the toilet.

 

Hot Water System Leaks

Should you notice the hot water service leaking from the valve or from the base of the unit please let us know. The leaking valve is usually fixable by a plumber, however water leaking from the base of a water storage unit usually indicates the unit has rusted through and may need replacement in the near future.

 

Lawn Maintenance

Please ensure that lawns are regular mowed and edged, keeping them neat and tidy. Should you wish to have someone regularly mow your lawn, let us know and we would be happy to recommend a service to you. This is at tenant cost. Weeding of gardens beds, inside lawns, paths, paving and other outside areas are the responsibility of the tenant. Trimming of bushes and shrubs in and around the garden are also the responsibility of the tenant.

 

Oil Drippage

Any cars parked on driveways, under carports and garages must have a drip tray placed underneath. Only if the vehicle does not drip any oil at all is a drip tray not required. Please also note that any visitor’s cars must be parked off the premises if they drip oil. Should oil drippage occur at anytime, this must be cleaned up immediately to prevent oil seeping in and permanently staining. Please note any permanent staining will result in compensation or costly cleaning/repairs being charged to the tenant.

 

Swimming Pools & Outdoor Spas

If the property you are renting has a swimming pool and spa please pay attention to the following.

 

Pool/Spa Cleaning

Pool/spa cleaning and maintenance, unless it is agreed that the landlord will be supplying a regular cleaning and maintenance service as per your tenancy agreement, this will be a tenant responsibility.

Please note that if regular cleaning does not occur by the tenant, high costs can be incurred to bring it back to its original clean state. If this occurs, this will be at tenant cost. It is also a tenant responsibility to ensure that the pool/spa is kept topped up with water, and must not empty the pool/spa without written approval from us.

Any damage to the pool & equipment from lack of cleaning/maintenance will be charged to the tenant. Supplying of pool treatment chemicals will be a tenant responsibility, at tenant cost.

 

Pool/Spa Covers, Accessories, Equipment & Pool Furniture

It is the responsibility of the tenant to maintain and keep in good condition any accessories, cleaning and maintenance equipment. This also includes any outdoor/pool furniture supplied. Pool cleaning/equipment must be kept out of the sun and stored responsibly. Supplied pool/spa covers must be neatly rolled or folded up and stored away out of the weather when not in use to preserve its lifespan and usefulness.

 

Pool/Spa Fences & Gates

We must be notified immediately if fences and gates are not functioning correctly, and the gate fails to self-close promptly when opened. State pool/spa regulations must be up kept at all times.

 

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