We carry out regular maintenance on all of our rental properties. However, if something is damaged or broken in your home, you can contact us using the following methods:
- Call Housing Direct on 1300 137 677
- Visit or call your local Communities Housing office
- Complete the Online Non-Urgent Maintenance Request form.
You are responsible for basic household maintenance like replacing light globes, vacuuming, cleaning windows, dusting and removing cobwebs inside and out.
You are also responsible for garden maintenance, such as mowing and edging lawns, weeding and pruning, and you should advise us if you notice a water leak or you may be liable for the costs of water lost.
There maintenance is required due to ‘fair wear and tear’, we provide maintenance and repairs at no charge.
However, you must not intentionally or negligently damage the rented property. If you cause damage, you must notify us as soon as possible, and expect to pay for repairs or replacement.
After hours emergencies
After hours maintenance services will be provided for emergency maintenance repairs of the utmost urgency-such as a gas leak, power failure or burst water pipe - to be attended to after normal working hours.
Work that is not deemed to be an emergency will not be attended as after hours, but will be reported to the local Communities Housing office who will arrange inspection or works in normal working hours.
Tenants who use this service for situations that are not life or property threatening will be charged the full cost. Typically, the call out fee is around $200.
Before calling with your maintenance issue
Please have your account number ready.
When you are explaining what needs repairing or replacing, try to give us as much detail as you can. The more we know about the problem, the easier it will be for our contractors to resolve your issue on their first visit.
If the damage has been caused by another party and has been reported to the Police, please have your Police Offence Report Number ready to provide to our staff.
There are some things you are responsible for, like replacing light bulbs, but if there is a reason you cannot do these things, you can contact Housing Direct.
Looking after your garden and general house cleaning are also things you must do yourself.
Fixing your problem
We employ professional contractors, like plumbers and electricians, to make repairs to your home.
We will let you know when you can expect a contractor to fix or inspect the work required when you contact Housing Direct.
The contractor will need to get into your house, so remember to stay home or arrange for them to get in or access the area that requires attention.
As a tenant you have a responsibility to:
- Be polite and courteous towards contractors.
- Give contractors the necessary access and freedom to do their work so that it can be completed in the shortest possible time.
- Keep appointments with contractors. If a contractor is delayed, allow a reasonable time before leaving your property.
- Restrain or pen your animals and pets if they are a risk to health and safety or liable to escape from the property. Also do so on request from the contractor.
- Empty kitchen and bathroom cupboards if the nature of the work requires it and if you are asked to do so by the contractor.
- Move ornaments, paintings, clothing and other personal and small items and fixtures near the damage.
We use regular building condition assessments to undertake maintenance on a larger scale to protect and prolong the life of properties.
This planned maintenance includes painting and refurbishment.
Communities endeavours to respond to maintenance issues as soon as possible. Maintenance work that poses a health and safety risk to tenants or where there is a risk of damage to the property is prioritised. Maintenance falls under four categories, with different maximum wait times for each category:
| Category | Maximum time for completion | Examples of maintenance covered |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 8 hours | No power, faulty smoke alarm and smell of gas |
| Urgent | 24 hours | No hot water, blocked toilets and burst water pipes |
| Priority | 48 hours | Faulty stove, locks and glazing, leaking taps and security lights not working |
| Routine | 28 days | Rehanging doors, replacing washing line and rewiring flyscreens to windows and/or doors. |
