Roof leaking in a Queensland rental? Emergency repairs and who pays

Published 23 October 2026

Is a roof leak an emergency repair in Queensland?

Yes, if it’s serious. Section 214 of the Act says emergency repairs are works needed to repair a list of problems, including “(c) a serious roof leak” and “(g) serious storm, fire or impact damage”. It adds that “emergency repairs are works needed for the premises or inclusions to comply with the prescribed minimum housing standards”.

Those standards are in the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Regulation 2025. Schedule 6 says “Premises must be weatherproof, structurally sound and in good repair” and “Premises are not weatherproof if the roofing or windows of the premises do not prevent water entering the premises when it rains.” The RTA says repairs needed to meet the standards “are classified as emergency repairs and the emergency repair process should be followed.”

On our reading of the weatherproof standard, even a small leak can mean the roof doesn’t meet it, so report every roof leak to the emergency repair contact, not just a big one, and let them decide how it’s handled.

What to do when your rental’s roof leaks

• Stay safe. Keep clear of a sagging ceiling and wet light fittings or switches. The roof leak guide covers safety, the SES on 132 500 for storm damage, and protecting the room.
• Call the emergency repair contact named on your tenancy agreement (the nominated repairer) or your property manager. The RTA says “verbal communication is sufficient. However, it is considered good communication practice to follow up in writing where possible.”
• Take photos and video of the leak, the ceiling and anything damaged, with the date.
• Move and protect your belongings. After a storm or other natural disaster, the RTA says “The tenant is responsible for repairing, removing or cleaning their own possessions.”
• Write down who you called, when, and what they said.

When a tenant can arrange the roof repair

Section 218 lets you act if you have “been unable to notify the lessor or nominated repairer of the need for emergency repairs” or “the repairs are not made within a reasonable time after notice is given”. You may then “arrange for a suitably qualified person to make the repairs” or apply to the tribunal (QCAT) for orders.

Section 219 caps it: “The maximum amount that may be incurred for emergency repairs arranged to be made by the tenant is an amount equal to the amount payable under the residential tenancy agreement for 4 weeks rent.”

Our advice: use a QBCC-licensed roofer, get the quote and the invoice in writing, and ask for photos of what was found and fixed. Building work valued over $3,300 needs a QBCC licence anyway. If you can, get more than one quote: when deciding reimbursement disputes, the tribunal may consider “whether the tenant obtained a number of quotations for the repairs”.

Roof leak repair prices in Brisbane

Checked 23 October 2026. Brisbane Roof and Paint is a Sunnybank contractor; its leak guide (updated 18 March 2026) gives these bands per job and doesn’t say whether GST is included. No one in Brisbane publishes a price for tarping or make-safe work.

Getting reimbursed for an emergency roof repair

Under s 219 you can require the owner to reimburse you, or to pay the roofer directly. The requirement “must— (a) be made by written notice given to the lessor; and (b) be supported by appropriate documents about the incurring of the amount; and (c) state that, if the lessor does not comply with the requirement within 7 days after receiving the notice, the tenant may apply to a tribunal for an order”. The supporting documents are things like invoices, accounts and receipts.

If within 7 days the owner neither pays nor applies to QCAT to object, you can apply to QCAT. The RTA says this can be an urgent application, and “The tenant does not need to go through RTA dispute resolution for an urgent application and can apply directly to QCAT.”

If the roof still isn’t fixed: Form 11, dispute resolution and repair orders

A repair order from QCAT can cover routine or emergency repairs. Short of arranging the repair yourself, the RTA describes these steps: a Notice to remedy breach (Form 11) “giving them at least 7 days to fix the problem”, then its free dispute resolution service, then an application to QCAT for a repair order. A repair order can deal with “whether the tenant may pay a reduced rent until the repairs are carried out” and “compensation to the tenant for the loss of amenity”, and the RTA says non-compliance “is considered an offence that carries 50 penalty units.”

Don’t stop paying rent to force a repair. The RTA says: “The tenant should never stop paying rent to ensure repairs are made. Non-payment of rent is a breach of the agreement.”

The owner’s duty to keep the roof in good repair

Section 185 says that while the tenancy continues, the lessor “must maintain the premises in a way that the premises remain fit for the tenant to live in” and “must maintain the premises and inclusions in good repair”. The RTA says “The owner is generally responsible for paying for repairs unless the damage was caused by the actions of the tenant,” and that where an issue is caused by structural problems with the property, “the property manager/owner is responsible for making any necessary repairs.” It treats mould from a leaking roof as that kind of problem.

In a unit block, the body corporate may be the one that fixes the roof. The RTA says “There may be some instances where repairs to ensure a property complies with minimum housing standards are the responsibility of the body corporate.” Your property manager or owner still deals with it for you; the body corporate roof repairs guide explains who maintains what. Blocked gutters are covered in the overflowing gutters guide.

Common questions