Purpose
This page helps you understand who is responsible for maintenance and repairs under a head lease. It outlines:
- types of maintenance work and responsibilities
- special rules such as negligence, natural disasters, or defect liability
- repair caps and annual thresholds
- Owner obligations, organisation duties, and optional upgrades.
This is a practical guide to help you and contract managers discuss and interpret maintenance responsibilities. It is a resource to promote shared understanding and is not a legally binding.
How to use
- Work through each step in order.
- Use the checklist and examples when discussing a maintenance request with us.
- Always refer to the lease as it remains the authoritative source.
- Where responsibility is not clear, contact your Contract Manager for advice.
Some maintenance requests may involve more than one category – in these cases, discuss the scope of each party’s responsibility with your Contract Manager.
Step 1.
What category of maintenance work is it? | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Glass (any type, including windows)? | Organisation* |
Routine upkeep (cleaning, rubbish, gardens, vermin, smoke alarm batteries)? | Organisation |
Chattels (owner listed items)? | Organisation |
Cosmetic works (painting, aesthetic landscaping)? | go to Step 2 |
Fixed appliance/essential service (hot water unit, stove, heat pump)? | go to Step 3 |
Structural (roof, walls, foundations, pipes, lifts)? | go to Step 4 |
Other / not clear? | go to Step 5 |
*Except where the glass damage results from a structural failure or the item is defective under a builder’s warranty, in which case the Owner is responsible.
Step 2.
Cosmetic works | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Caused by negligence or tenant damage? | Organisation (up to repair cap) |
Required due to age/wear and tear (to restore commencement condition)? | Owner |
Requested as an upgrade/aesthetic preference? | Not an obligation (by negotiation/program funding only) |
Step 3.
Appliances / essential services | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Covered by defect liability/warranty? | Owner |
Failure due to organisation/tenant negligence? | Organisation (up to repair cap) |
Otherwise (normal wear/age)? | Owner |
Step 4.
Structural repairs | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Damage caused by organisation/tenant negligence? | Organisation (up to repair cap) |
All other structural repairs? | Owner (timeframes: ASAP if safety, 12 months if short-term, or not required) |
Step 5.
Compliance/upgrades | Responsibility |
|---|---|
Work required to comply with Building Code? | Owner |
Upgrade for tenant comfort/suitability? | Not an obligation (negotiation only) |
Step 6.
Repair caps are defined in your contract and apply per incident unless otherwise stated in your lease.
Repair caps and threshold | Responsibility |
|---|---|
The repair cap applies only to repairs to the Premises. Chattels listed in the lease are excluded and must be insured and, if damaged, repaired or replaced under the organisation’s chattels insurance. | |
Negligence cases | Organisation pays up to per-incident repair cap |
Annual thresholds | $10 000 (1–4 dwellings) / $50 000 (5+ dwellings) |
Costs above thresholds | Owner |
Support, assistance, and feedback
For questions about assigning maintenance responsibilities, support or feedback, contact your Contract Manager.