Rental Property Maintenance Checklist for SA Landlords

A well-maintained rental attracts better tenants, gets fewer urgent call-outs and holds its value. The trick is staying ahead of problems rather than reacting to them. This checklist is built around Adelaide’s seasons and the kinds of homes we look after across the north-east — from 1960s brick homes in Ingle Farm and Para Hills to newer builds in Andrews Farm and Blakeview.

If you’re turning a property over between tenants, our end of lease clean up checklist covers that. This guide is about ongoing upkeep during a tenancy.

Your responsibilities in a nutshell

Under South Australian tenancy law, landlords must provide the property in a clean and reasonable state, meet the minimum housing standards under the Housing Improvement Act 2016, and maintain and repair the premises having regard to their age, character and prospective life. Tenants need to tell the landlord when repairs are needed, and the landlord must carry them out within a reasonable time.

Entry rules and notice periods differ depending on the reason for entry, so check the current requirements with Consumer and Business Services (CBS) or your property manager before booking work while a tenant is in.

Autumn: get ready for winter

Adelaide’s winter rain shows up every weakness in roofs, gutters and drainage.

• Clear gutters and downpipes, especially under gum trees — leafy suburbs like Banksia Park and Highbury fill gutters fast.
• Check stormwater drains and grates are clear so water runs away from the house.
• Look for leaks around windows, doors and the roof line.
• Prune trees and shrubs off the roof, gutters and walls.
• Clear green waste from the yard before it turns into a soggy pile. (See our green waste guide.)
• Check heating is working before tenants need it.

Winter: inside jobs

• Check for damp and mould in bathrooms, laundries and wardrobes on external walls. Ventilation fixes like a working exhaust fan go a long way.
• Check doors and windows close and lock properly — timber swells in wet weather.
• Fix dripping taps and running toilets; they add up on water bills.
• Inspect sheds and carports for leaks and storm damage after big weather.

Spring: the garden wakes up

Spring growth in the north-east is fast, and an overgrown yard is one of the most common causes of friction between landlords and tenants.

• Agree who’s responsible for the garden — the lease should say what’s expected of the tenant and what the landlord covers.
• Cut back hedges and overgrowth, and take away the prunings.
• Refresh garden beds with mulch — it suppresses weeds and holds moisture into summer.
• Check fences and gates for loose palings, leaning posts and broken latches, especially where pets or kids are involved.
• Clear rubbish that’s built up behind sheds and down side paths.

Summer: heat and fire season

• Clear dry vegetation, long grass and leaf litter away from the house and sheds.
• Check outdoor taps, hoses and irrigation for leaks.
• Make sure air conditioning is serviced and filters are clean.
• Check flyscreens for holes and tears.
• Clean gutters again if the property is surrounded by trees.

At every routine inspection

Routine inspections are the best chance to catch small problems before they grow. Look for:

• Dripping taps, slow drains and leaking toilets
• Loose handles, hinges, towel rails and cupboard doors
• Cracked tiles, damaged flooring or holes in walls
• Signs of pests (droppings, ant trails, termite mud)
• Smoke alarms present and tested
• Rubbish building up in the yard, shed or carport
• Overgrown gardens or unsafe trees

Write down anything that needs fixing, and get it booked in while it’s still a small job.

Smoke alarms and safety

Smoke alarms, electrical safety and gas appliances have specific rules. Make sure smoke alarms are installed and working, and use licensed tradespeople for electrical and gas work. Your property manager or CBS can confirm what currently applies to your property.

Small problems that turn into big bills

Most expensive rental repairs start as something minor that was left too long. Watch for:

• A slow drip under the sink that rots out the cupboard base and flooring
• Overflowing gutters that let water into eaves, ceilings and wall cavities
• A leaning fence that ends up blowing over in the next storm
• Tree roots lifting paths and getting into stormwater pipes
• Overgrown gardens that become a bigger, more expensive clean-up at the end of the lease
• Rubbish piling up in carports and sheds, which attracts vermin and becomes a dispute at vacate

A quick fix during a routine visit is almost always cheaper than the repair it prevents — and it keeps tenants happy, which means fewer vacancies.

Keep good records

• Photos before and after every job
• Invoices and dates for repairs and maintenance
• Tenant repair requests and when they were actioned

Good records make bond claims and disputes far simpler, and they’re useful at tax time.

One contractor, fewer headaches

The biggest time-waster for landlords and property managers is chasing different trades for small jobs. We handle general repairs, garden tidy-ups, green waste, rubbish removal and between-tenancy clean ups across the north-east, with photos on completion.

One of our property maintenance customers put it this way:

“Quick responses, easy to communicate, job done promptly. Invoice sent same day. Cant ask for much more. Great service over all. Will be booking again for further work.” — Melissa T., Google review

See our property maintenance service, or our page for property managers. If a job needs a specific licensed trade, we’ll tell you straight.

Book in your next round of maintenance

Whether it’s a single property or a portfolio across the north-east, send us the address and the job list and we’ll come back with a price — and we’ll coordinate access with your tenant or agent.