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Maintenance – Troubleshooting Guide

Firstly, differentiate between general maintenance and emergency maintenance.

Emergency maintenance includes:

  • A burst water service or a serious water service leak
  • A blocked or broken lavatory service
  • A serious roof leak
  • A gas leak
  • A dangerous electrical fault
  • Flooding or serious flood damage
  • Serious storm, fire or impact damage
  • A failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the property
  • A failure or breakdown of an essential service or hot water, cooking or heating appliance
  • A fault of damage that makes the property unsafe or insecure
  • A fault or damage likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a resident of the property
  • A serious fault in a staircase, lift or other common area on premises that unduly inconveniences a resident in gaining access to, or using, the property

All other repairs are considered general maintenance and must be notified to Ray White Kirwan in writing. Sometimes the issue can be resolved without the need of a maintenance request as follows:

Plumbing Leaks

Water leaks most commonly occur in wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries, and can affect adjoining rooms. Regularly checking water leakage is recommended. If the carpet or floor is wet, clean the area and dry it thoroughly and check it again shortly after. If the problem persists, lodge a Maintenance Request with Ray White Kirwan.

Toilet Leaks

Mop the wet area and turn off the tap between uses until the contractor arrives to fix the problem.

Swimming Pool

The Tenant is generally responsible for the everyday maintenance such as clearing leaves from the pool and may be responsible for more regular maintenance (as outlined in the General Tenancy Agreement).

  • Maintaining the water level is essential to ensure water flow through the skimmer boxes. Failure to top up water could result in considerable expense to the Tenant
  • No animals should be allowed in the pool as this creates chemical imbalance and can result in fur going through the filtration system
  • Regularly check the pump for leaks or strange sounds which may mean the motor requires attention
  • Vacuum regularly to keep the pool clear of debris and leaves

Electricity Supply

Check if neighbouring properties have also lost power, and contact Ergon Energy on 13 22 96 for further information.

Ensure all the correct switches are on (e.g. wall switch for ovens). Check the fuse box to ensure the power is on and the safety switch has not been tripped. If so, reset the safety switch. If the problem persists, unplug all appliances from power points and reset the safety switch again. Plug in each appliance one at a time until the faulty appliance is located. If unable to locate a faulty appliance and the problem persists, lodge a Maintenance Request with Ray White Kirwan.

Faulty light/fan/power switches – do not try and fix yourself – contact the agency as soon as possible.

Water Eruption

Pooling or bubbling water on the ground requires urgent attention and may require emergency maintenance. Contact Ray White Kirwan immediately.

Hot Water System

If hot water seems to run out rapidly or is not heated at all, check the filler valve on the side of the hot water system and lift the lever until water flows from the overflow valve. This process may need to be repeated every few months.

Otherwise check the fuse box to ensure the power is on and the safety switch has not been tripped.

Please note: seasonal changes and shower routine changes can affect the efficiency of a hot water system.

Beeping Smoke Alarms

It is the responsibility of the Tenant to

  • test and clean (by vacuuming or dusting) smoke alarms  at least once every 12 months
  • replace any flat or nearly flat batteries
  • advise the agency if there is any issue with the alarm (apart from batteries)

Smoke alarms must never be removed or anything done to them to reduce their effectiveness (e.g. paint them).

If smoke alarms beep, it may be because there is smoke in the vicinity (e.g. burning toast).  Fan the alarm to try and stop it beeping.  If the problem persists, lodge a Maintenance Request with Ray White Kirwan.

Clothes Dryer

It is the responsibility of the Tenant to maintain clothes dryers each day by cleaning the filter before every use. If the dryer is not working, please check the following:

  • power is on
  • dryer is not overloaded

Ensure all the correct switches are on (e.g. wall switch for ovens). Check the fuse box to ensure the power is on and the safety switch has not been tripped. If the problem persists, lodge a Maintenance Request with Ray White Kirwan.

PLEASE NOTE:

Any costs incurred as a result of Tenant (or their guest) misuse, abuse or negligence may be at the expense of the Tenant.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE:

It is a strict policy of Ray White Kirwan that all maintenance requests are presented in writing before they can be acted upon. These can be sent as follows:

  • Online Maintenance Form – visit raywhitekirwan.com.au
  • Email to kirwan.qld@raywhite.com
  • Post to Ray White Kirwan, PO Box 1715, Thuringowa Central Qld 4817
  • Hand deliver to Ray White Kirwan, 10 Burnda Street, Kirwan Qld 4817

EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE:

Only URGENT REPAIRS will be accepted first informally (by phone) but must be confirmed in writing as soon as possible.