How Perth Landlords Should Handle Maintenance Requests Over the Christmas Shutdown
How Perth Landlords Should Handle Maintenance Requests Over the Christmas Shutdown
December is the month Perth landlords most need a working maintenance plan and the month trades are least available to execute one.
Why "Urgent" Gets More Expensive in December
Trade availability drops sharply in the final weeks of the year, and callout rates climb with it. A repair that would cost a standard rate in October can carry a premium in the week before Christmas, simply because there are fewer trades taking jobs and more properties competing for them.
Urgent vs Non-Urgent: The Distinction That Matters
Under WA tenancy law, urgent repairs — a burst pipe, a faulty pool barrier, no functioning hot water, an electrical fault — must be actioned within 48 hours, shutdown or not. If a landlord can't be reached or doesn't act, tenants have the legal right to arrange the repair themselves and be reimbursed. Non-urgent repairs don't carry that deadline, but leaving them until January still risks the item becoming genuinely urgent while nobody's watching.
The Insurance Angle
A delayed repair isn't just a tenant relations problem. Property damage that worsens because a known issue wasn't actioned in time can complicate an insurance claim, particularly if there's a documented maintenance request that sat unresolved. A slow response during the shutdown doesn't just risk a tenant dispute — it risks the claim itself.
What to Do Before You Switch Off
Book non-urgent maintenance and servicing now, while trades are still taking standard bookings. Walk through your property's known issues: ageing hot water systems, aircon units, pool equipment, and address anything borderline before it becomes an emergency call on December 24th. And make sure whoever's managing your property actually has a plan for urgent requests over the break, not just an out-of-office reply.
How Perth Rental Specialists Handles the Shutdown
Urgent maintenance and tenancy matters are covered throughout our break — not parked until the new year. We also flag likely issues in November inspections specifically so they're handled before the shutdown, not during it.
Want your property checked before the break? Get in contact with Elyse for more information.