Repairs to your house
Information for Queensland tenants in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
If something in your house needs fixing, you should request maintenance as soon as possible.
Fair wear and tear
It’s normal for things in your house to break over time because they’re old or worn out. This is called 'fair wear and tear'.
You should report any maintenance as soon as possible. If it’s deemed ‘fair wear and tear’, you’re not charged for the repair costs.
Examples of fair wear and tear are:
- taps leaking
- hot water system leaking or not working
- power points not working
- fans not working
- wobbly steps.
Unfair wear and tear
If you, someone who lives with you or your visitors damage any part of the home, this is called 'unfair wear and tear'.
We will fix this damage, or you may be able to arrange to fix it yourself.
If we fix it, we consider all the circumstances and decide whether it’s fair and reasonable to charge you for the repairs.
Tell Housing staff if there’s anything about the damage we should know when deciding if it’s fair and reasonable to charge you for the repairs.
Examples of unfair wear and tear include:
- punching or kicking a hole in the wall or door
- children accidentally breaking a window while playing.
Important: Even if the damage is accidental, you usually still need to pay for the repairs.
Fixing the damage yourself
First, talk to your nearest Housing Service Centre if you want to:
- fix the damage yourself, or
- arrange your own tradesperson to fix it.
If a part of your home is damaged, you may be able to use your own contractor or fix the damage yourself depending on the work required.
Plumbing and drainage, gas, and electrical related works can only be done by licenced tradespeople.
You need to be aware that some houses may have asbestos products (e.g. wall sheeting , ceiling sheeting, vinyl flooring), so it's important to talk to us before you plan to do any repairs yourself. Only licenced tradespeople qualified in working with and repairing these products can do the work required.
If you use your own tradesperson or do the repairs yourself, the repairs must be done to an acceptable standard or we’ll re-do the repair work and charge you for the cost.
Breach notices
As a tenant, you are responsible for keeping the property clean and in good condition, which includes repairing any damages you or your guests cause during the tenancy beyond reasonable wear and tear. This can include damage to the walls, floors, fixtures, etc.
If your house is damaged on purpose, we will assess the cause of the damage and may, as a result, issue a breach notice. If you receive a breach notice, you have to fix the damage yourself or contact the Maintenance Call Centre to report the damages and organise the repairs.
If you want more information about repairs to your house, please talk to Housing staff.
Maintenance debts
If you have been charged for any repairs or maintenance during your tenancy and/or after vacating, and haven’t paid it yet, you have a maintenance debt.
You have to pay this debt.
You can repay the maintenance debt in instalments.
If you don’t know whether you have a maintenance debt, discuss it with Housing staff.
How do I repay my maintenance debt?
You can set up a repayment plan by talking to Housing staff.
You can repay the debt using:
- Rent Deduction Scheme (RDS) – pay off your debt using direct deductions from your Centrelink payments.
- Bank Direct Debit – make direct payments from your bank account. Contact your Housing office to complete the Direct debit request form (PDF). We will then arrange the rent deductions for you.
- Pay at any Australia Post location using a payment slip. You can get a payment slip from your Housing office.
- BPay – pay by phone or internet banking. Use Biller Code 747337 and your maintenance payment reference number (10-digit reference number). You can find the reference number on your Payment Slip.
If you don’t agree with the debt
Talk to Housing staff about why you don’t agree with the debt.
If you still think the decision to apply the debt is wrong or unfair after you’ve discussed it with Housing staff, you can request a debt review. The decision to apply this debt will then be reviewed. You can provide information to us about why you do not believe the debt should be applied as part of this review process.