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Can I get a rent reduction while major repairs are happening?

The short answer

Possibly. Where repairs substantially reduce your use of the property, most states allow a tenant to seek a rent reduction, by agreement or by tribunal order.

TradieAnswers editorial · written in-house and sourced to the authorities listed below

Checked against 6 published sources, listed in full at the end of this page. How we source this

The principle is that rent is paid for the use of the premises. Where a substantial part of that use is lost, through disrepair or through the disruption of fixing it, the rent may no longer reflect what is being provided.

Situations where it is arguable

  • A bathroom out of use for an extended period in a single-bathroom home.
  • A kitchen unusable during a rebuild.
  • A room or an entire floor unavailable because of damage or works.
  • Loss of an essential service, such as hot water or heating, for a prolonged period.
  • Scaffolding, noise or restricted access that materially affects living there.

How to approach it

  1. Ask in writing, early, describing specifically what is unavailable and for how long it is expected to be.
  2. Propose a figure and a period rather than asking open-endedly. A specific proposal is much easier to agree to.
  3. Keep a dated record of the disruption, including photographs.
  4. If it is refused and the loss is substantial, apply to your state's tribunal, which can order a reduction.

Do not simply pay less. Unilaterally reducing rent is a breach of the tenancy in every state, whatever the merits of the underlying complaint, and it hands the other side the stronger position.

Sources

Every source below was fetched and its response recorded on the date shown. Where a government site blocks automated clients, that is noted rather than reported as a successful check.

  1. NSW Fair Trading · NSW Fair TradingChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  2. Building and renovating · Consumer Affairs VictoriaChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  3. Fair Trading · Queensland GovernmentChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  4. NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal · NSW Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  5. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Victorian Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK
  6. Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal · Queensland Civil and Administrative TribunalChecked 2026-08-10 · responded 200 OK

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