Rented, dented and lamented: Aussie tenants waiting on repairs
Australian renters are tapping their feet and waiting longer than they want for their landlord to make repairs, according to new research by Finder.
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A Finder survey of 1,014 respondents – 333 who have rented in the last 12 months – found that 44% have had to wait too long for their landlord to fix something in their home.
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Water leaks (23%) is the most common issue, followed by broken appliances (17%), mould (16%) and structural defects like broken doors or windows (13%).
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Shockingly, of those who faced delays, 17% had to wait more than a year.
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A further 11% had to wait between 6-12 months.
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Richard Whitten, home loans expert at Finder, said that delayed repairs can be a major source of stress for tenants.
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"It's unacceptable that so many people are forced to live with problems like mould and water leaks for months, or even years on end.
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"These aren't just minor inconveniences – they can impact a person's health, their wallet, and their peace of mind."
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Whitten advised that tenants should take proactive steps to ensure their issues are addressed.
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"Knowledge is power. You have a right to a safe and well-maintained home.
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"Document all communication with your landlord or agent, send requests in writing, and if you aren't getting a response, know your rights and be prepared to escalate the issue.
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"If your landlord isn't fulfilling their legal obligations, consider getting legal advice from your state's tenant's union."
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Finder's research shows just over half (56%) of Australian renters said they have not had to wait to get an issue fixed.
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Landlords themselves admit that they drag their feet.
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A Finder survey of 148 landlords found that 2 in 5 (38%) have had a tenant wait longer than is reasonable for a repair in the last year.
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That roughly matches up with the number of renters left waiting.
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Landlords cited the same issues that tenants did: water leaks, mould, and broken appliances.
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Have you had to wait longer than is reasonable for your landlord to fix something in your home in the last 12 months?
| Yes, water leaks | 23% |
| Yes, broken appliance | 17% |
| Yes, mould | 16% |
| Yes, structural defects (windows, doors etc) | 13% |
| Yes, other | 2% |
| No, none of the above | 56% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,014 respondents, 333 of whom rent, July 2025 |  |
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Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,014 respondents from July 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
Sources
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