From time to time, a maintenance issue may arise that requires immediate attention, including outside our normal business hours.
The information below explains what is considered an urgent repair and the steps you must take if an urgent maintenance issue occurs at your rental property.
What is considered an urgent repair?
An urgent repair includes any work required to repair or remedy:
- a burst water service
- 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 an essential service or appliance supplied with the property for hot water, water, cooking, heating or laundry
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
- a failure or breakdown of any cooling appliance or cooling service supplied with the property
- a failure to comply with a rental minimum standard
- a failure or breakdown of a safety-related device, including smoke alarms or pool barriers
- an appliance, fitting or fixture that uses or supplies water and is malfunctioning in a way that results, or may result, in a substantial amount of water being wasted
- any fault or damage that makes the property unsafe or insecure, including a pest infestation, mould or damp caused by or related to the building structure
- a serious fault in a lift or staircase.
What should I do?
If there is an immediate risk to life, serious injury or property, call 000 first.
During business hours
Please contact our office on 1300 319 371 or call your Property Manager directly.
Your Property Manager will assess the issue and arrange the appropriate contractor where required.
Outside business hours
If you believe the matter is genuinely urgent and cannot safely wait until the next business day, you must first make reasonable attempts to contact Visser Estate Agents.
Please:
- Call our office on 1300 319 371; and
- Call your Property Manager directly; and
- Send your Property Manager both a text message and an email explaining the issue.
Please include as much information as possible, including photographs or video where appropriate.
You should allow us a reasonable opportunity to respond and arrange the repair before engaging a contractor yourself.
If immediate attendance is required and you have been unable to obtain a prompt response after making the above attempts, please use one of our approved emergency tradespeople listed below.
Approved trades must be used
Our approved contractors are familiar with the properties we manage, our procedures and our invoicing requirements.
You must not engage an alternative or unapproved contractor without prior approval from Visser Estate Agents.
Visser Estate Agents and the rental provider will not accept responsibility for the cost of an alternative contractor merely because the renter has chosen to engage them.
This does not affect any rights a renter may have under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (Vic) to arrange a genuine urgent repair where the required steps have been taken and the rental provider or agent has not responded promptly.
Where legislation permits a renter to arrange an urgent repair themselves, any reimbursement remains subject to the requirements and limits of the Residential Tenancies Act.
After an urgent call-out
If a tradesperson is contacted or attends the property after hours, you must advise your Property Manager as soon as possible and no later than the next business day.
Please provide:
- details of what occurred
- the name of the tradesperson contacted
- whether they attended the property
- details of any work completed
- photographs where appropriate
- any invoice, receipt or written report provided by the contractor.
Important information about after-hours costs
After-hours and emergency call-outs can be significantly more expensive than repairs completed during normal business hours.
Before requesting an after-hours attendance, please consider whether the issue is genuinely urgent and whether it can safely wait until the next business day.
If an after-hours contractor attends and the issue is determined not to be an urgent repair, the renter may be responsible for the applicable call-out or attendance costs.
A renter may also be responsible for repair costs where the damage or fault was caused by the renter, an occupant or their guest, subject to the Residential Tenancies Act.
If you are unsure whether immediate attendance is necessary, contact your Property Manager and/or the appropriate approved contractor below and explain the circumstances.
Approved Emergency Tradespeople
| All Maintenance PNK Property Maintenance Solutions Gas, plumbing, electrical, handyman, locksmith and general property maintenance 0474 106 225 | Hot Water Service Victorian Hot Water 0409 668 257 | Plumbers Sam Magee Plumberman 0406 171 986 Joniec Plumbing 1300 575 862 |
| Electrician PCH Electrics 0439 759 251 | Locksmith ASAP Locksmiths 03 9510 3151 |
Emergency & Utility Contacts
Emergency Services
Police, Fire or Ambulance – 000
For any immediate threat to life, serious injury, fire or other life-threatening emergency, contact emergency services first.
State Emergency Service
SES – 132 500
For emergency assistance relating to storms, flooding, fallen trees and other applicable storm-related incidents.
Water Faults
Greater Western Water – 132 642
Yarra Valley Water – 132 762
South East Water – 132 812
Gas & Electricity Faults
Gas Emergencies – 13 27 71
CitiPower Faults – 13 12 80
For all non-urgent maintenance, please contact Visser Estate Agents or your Property Manager during normal business hours.