ACT Maintenance Obligations: Minimum Standards and Repairs

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) utilizes the Standard Residential Tenancy Terms to clearly define the division of maintenance responsibilities between landlord and tenant. The territory is also spearheading national efforts on environmental sustainability with its Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).

Disclaimer: This guide provides general legal information for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult the ACT Revenue Office or ACAT. Information last verified: March 2026.

The Landlord's Core Duty

Under the standard terms, a landlord must provide and maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair. The property must be:

• Fit for habitation.
• Reasonably clean.
• Reasonably secure.

Landlords cannot force a tenant to accept a property "as is" if it fundamentally breaches these standards, and they cannot contract out of these repair duties via "Special Conditions" without ACAT approval.

Urgent vs. Non-Urgent Repairs

The law distinguishes heavily between the types of repairs and the speed at which a landlord must address them.

Urgent Repairs

These are faults causing damage to the premises or danger to people. The landlord must act as soon as possible after being notified. Examples include:

• A burst water service or severe roof leak.
• A blocked or broken toilet.
• A serious fault in the gas, electrical, or water supply.
• Failure of an essential service (like hot water or heating during ACT winters).
• A fault that makes the premises dangerously insecure (e.g., broken external locks).

The Tenant's Right to Authorise: If the landlord cannot be contacted, or fails to act within a reasonable timeframe on an urgent repair, ACT law allows the tenant to arrange for an authorized tradesperson to fix the issue, up to a maximum cost equivalent to 5% of the annual rent. The landlord must reimburse the tenant for these reasonable costs.

Non-Urgent Repairs

For routine repairs, the landlord has four weeks to carry out the work after the tenant provides written notice.

Specific Minimum Standards

Smoke Alarms

Landlords are legally responsible for installing and maintaining compliant smoke alarms in the rental property. Tenants must not tamper with them and should report any faults immediately.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)

The ACT is the first jurisdiction in Australia to mandate minimum energy efficiency standards for rental homes.

As of April 1, 2023, the focus is on ceiling insulation:

• Rental properties with less than R2 ceiling insulation must upgrade to a minimum of R5 insulation.
• Deadlines: Existing leases have a phase-in period, but all applicable properties must be compliant by November 30, 2026 (unless a valid technical/structural exemption applies).
• For new leases signed after April 2023, landlords have 9 months from the start of the lease to complete the upgrade.

Tenant Maintenance Duties

Tenants must:

• Keep the premises reasonably clean.
• Avoid intentionally or negligently damaging the property.
• Notify the landlord as soon as practicable of any required repairs to prevent further damage.
• Leave the premises at the end of the tenancy in substantially the same clean condition as when they moved in, minus fair wear and tear.

Inspections

To monitor maintenance, ACT landlords can conduct routine inspections.

• Frequency: Landlords are limited to a maximum of two inspections in any 12-month period. (They may also conduct an initial inspection within the first month and a final inspection in the last month).
• Notice: The landlord must provide one clear week's written notice before conducting a routine inspection. The inspection must be carried out at a reasonable time consented to by the tenant.

How Landager Helps

Landager’s maintenance portal allows ACT tenants to log urgent vs. non-urgent repair tickets instantly. Our system timestamps the request, tracks the statutory four-week response deadline for routine issues, and provides you with a vetted list of local Canberra tradespeople if an emergency fault occurs.

Back to ACT Landlord-Tenant Laws Overview.