Plumbing Emergency in a Rental: What Tenants Can Do
Make it safe, tell your agent, and know your right to get urgent repairs done.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
In short
A burst pipe, a blocked or broken toilet and no hot water are urgent repairs under NSW tenancy law. Tell your landlord or agent straight away. If they cannot be reached or do not act, you can have a licensed plumber do the urgent repair, using the nominated plumber on your lease where possible, and the landlord must repay reasonable costs up to $1,000 within 14 days of your written notice.
WHAT COUNTS
What NSW law treats as an urgent repair
- a burst water service
- an appliance, fitting or fixture that uses or supplies water, broken or not working properly so that a substantial amount of water is being wasted
- a blocked or broken toilet system
- a serious roof leak
- a gas leak
- a dangerous electrical fault
- flooding or serious flood damage
- serious storm or fire damage
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
- a failure or breakdown of an essential service for hot water, cooking, heating, cooling or laundering
- any fault or damage that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
From the NSW standard residential tenancy agreement (NSW Government) and urgent repairs in rental properties, which cites sections 62 and 64 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2010.
URGENT OR NOT?
Is your plumbing problem an urgent repair?
| What is happening | Urgent repair? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A pipe has burst, or water is running and you cannot stop it | Yes | A burst water service |
| Your only toilet is blocked or will not flush | Yes | A blocked or broken toilet system |
| No hot water at all | Yes | A breakdown of the hot water service |
| A tap or cistern runs non-stop and wastes a lot of water | Yes | A fitting wasting a substantial amount of water |
| You smell gas | Yes | A gas leak: get out first and call Jemena on 131 909 from outside |
| A tap drips, or a basin drains slowly | Usually not | Ask in writing for a non-urgent repair, with a deadline |
| A shower leaks through to the next room over weeks | Usually not, unless water is spreading fast | Report it in writing now: slow leaks get worse and dearer |
WHAT TO DO
What to do, step by step
- Make it safe: turn the water off at the meter, and power off at the switchboard if water is near electrics.
- Tell your landlord or agent straight away, by phone and in writing. Use the emergency contact on your lease.
- Keep a record: the time of each call, every message, photos of the damage.
- If they cannot be reached or do not act, use the plumber nominated on your lease for urgent repairs. If there is none, or they cannot come, use a licensed plumber.
- Send the landlord written details of the repair, with the invoice and receipts, as soon as you can.
Keep paying your rent. Stopping rent puts you in breach of the lease, even while repairs are outstanding (NSW Government).
If the fix will cost more than $1,000, ask the plumber to make it safe first, for example capping the pipe or isolating the hot water, and get the landlord’s approval in writing before the rest is done.
GETTING REPAID
Getting repaid: the $1,000 rule
The landlord must repay reasonable urgent repair costs up to $1,000 within 14 days of your written notice, as long as you did not cause the damage, tried to notify them, gave them a reasonable chance to fix it, tried the nominated tradesperson, used a licensed tradesperson, and sent written details with receipts (standard tenancy agreement, clause 20).
Not repaid after 14 days? Send a written reminder first. NSW Fair Trading (13 32 20, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm) runs a free complaints service and can issue a rectification order that sets a deadline for repairs. The Tenants’ Union says to apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal within 3 months for an order to be repaid. The Tribunal can also order compensation of up to $15,000 for losses such as damaged belongings, and can lower the rent where services are withdrawn, if you apply before the tenancy ends (Tenants’ Union of NSW).
General information only, not legal or insurance advice: your lease, by-laws or policy decide. Checked 1 November 2026.
IF YOU CAUSED IT
If the damage was your fault
A landlord does not have to fix damage a tenant causes, and the $1,000 rule does not cover it. In plumbing, the usual examples are wipes, nappies or sanitary products flushed down the toilet, cooking fat poured down the kitchen sink, and a hose kinked or cracked by things stored in the cupboard under the sink.
Tell the agent straight away anyway. A blocked drain or slow leak only gets worse, and if the landlord later claims the cost from you, they must try to keep it down (Tenants’ Union of NSW). When the cause is roots, age or a worn part, our report says so, which protects you.
NOT URGENT?
Non-urgent repairs and access
For a dripping tap or a slow drain, ask in writing with a clear deadline and follow up if you hear nothing. To arrange a non-urgent repair yourself, you need the landlord’s consent and a written agreement that they will pay you back (NSW Government).
The landlord or agent needs no notice to enter for an urgent repair such as a burst pipe or blocked toilet, and at least 2 days’ notice each time for a non-urgent one (NSW Government).
Water usage can be charged to you only if the home is separately metered and meets the water efficiency rules, and you must be given at least 21 days to pay. If a hidden leak pushes up the bill, raise it with the agent and keep paying usage while it is sorted out (NSW Government).
COPY AND SEND
A message to send your agent
Hi [agent or landlord], this is [your name] at [address]. We have an urgent repair: [what is happening, for example a burst pipe under the kitchen sink]. I have turned the water off at the meter. I called you at [time] and could not reach you. As the lease allows, I am arranging a licensed plumber [the nominated plumber on our lease, or Proximity Plumbing, licence 285594C]. I will send you the invoice, receipts and the plumber’s report. Please call me on [number].
WHAT WE GIVE YOU
What we give tenants
- A licensed invoice with our licence number (285594C)
- A written report of the cause and where the fault is
- Photos before and after
- A direct call to your agent if you want us to talk to them
Our photos and written report record what we found and where the fault is. They are evidence: who pays is decided by the lease, the strata by-laws or the policy, not by our report.
QUESTIONS
Questions from tenants
MORE HELP
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