Aircon Rules for WA Rentals: Landlord and Tenant Guide

If you rent a home in Perth, or you own one and lease it out, air conditioning is one of the most common sources of confusion when something breaks. Who pays for the repair? How fast does it need to be fixed? What can a tenant actually ask for? This guide explains how it works in Western Australia in plain English.

The short answer

• If the air conditioner was included with the property when the lease started, the landlord is generally responsible for keeping it in working order.
• Tenants are responsible for basic care, such as keeping filters clean, keeping the outdoor unit clear, and reporting faults promptly.
• Damage caused by misuse or neglect can be charged back to the tenant.

Always check your lease first. Some agreements spell out extra duties, such as filter cleaning every few months.

What landlords must do

Under WA tenancy law, a landlord must keep the premises in a reasonable state of repair. If a working air conditioner was part of the property at the start of the tenancy, that includes the air conditioner. In practice this means:

• Fixing faults that are not caused by tenant misuse, such as failed compressors, refrigerant leaks, fan motors and electrical faults.
• Arranging repairs within a reasonable time once a fault is reported in writing.
• Using licensed technicians for refrigerant work. Regassing is licensed work in Australia - see our re-gas service for what a proper leak-test-first approach looks like.

A landlord cannot simply remove a broken air conditioner that was advertised with the property and refuse to deal with it. If the unit is beyond economic repair, replacement is usually the reasonable outcome.

What tenants must do

Tenants are expected to take reasonable care of the property, and that extends to the air conditioning:

• Clean the return air filter regularly. With Perth dust and heavy summer use, every one to three months is a good rhythm. It takes five minutes and prevents most airflow complaints.
• Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, weeds, sand and stored items, especially in Swan Valley and foothills properties where debris builds up fast.
• Report faults early. A small refrigerant leak or a struggling fan becomes a much bigger bill if it runs for months.
• Do not attempt DIY repairs. Refrigerant and electrical work must be done by licensed technicians.

If a fault was clearly caused by neglect, such as a unit that failed because filters were never cleaned, the landlord may pass some or all of the repair cost to the tenant.

Is a broken aircon an urgent repair?

Air conditioning is generally not classed as an essential service in WA the way gas, power and hot water are. However, a dead cooler during a Perth heatwave, or a failed reverse-cycle heater in winter, can still justify urgent treatment depending on the circumstances - especially where young children, elderly occupants or medical conditions are involved.

Practical steps if your rental aircon fails:

1. Report the fault to the landlord or property manager in writing straight away.
2. Describe the symptoms clearly: error codes, noises, warm air, water leaks. Detail speeds up the fix.
3. Keep copies of all communication.
4. If nothing happens within a reasonable time, contact Consumer Protection WA for advice before arranging your own repairer, so you do not end up out of pocket.

Tips for Perth landlords and property managers

• Service before summer. A pre-season split system service or ducted system service costs far less than an emergency call-out in January and avoids tenant disputes entirely.
• Put it on a schedule. A maintenance plan keeps servicing automatic across tenancies, with records you can produce if a dispute ever arises.
• Document the condition. An aircon health check at the start and end of each tenancy gives you an independent record of how the unit was left.
• Fix small faults fast. Prompt repairs are cheaper, keep tenants happy, and protect the asset. If something is playing up now, book a repair and get a written report both parties can rely on.

The bottom line

If the aircon came with the rental, keeping it working normally sits with the owner. Keeping it clean and reporting problems quickly sits with the tenant. Most disputes come down to poor communication and missing paperwork, so put everything in writing and keep servicing records.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, check your lease and the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA), or contact Consumer Protection WA. If you need a fault diagnosed or a written condition report for a rental property anywhere in Perth, book online and we will sort it.