Who pays for repainting at end of lease in SA?

In South Australia, repainting is generally the landlord's responsibility unless the tenant has caused damage beyond fair wear and tear. Smoke staining, deliberate marks, or unauthorised colour changes are tenant responsibility. General fade after 2+ years of occupancy is landlord responsibility.

Can a landlord deduct from bond for fair wear and tear?

No. The Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) explicitly excludes fair wear and tear from tenant liability. Bond deductions for items covered by fair wear and tear are typically refused by Consumer and Business Services SA on dispute review.

How quickly can end-of-lease work be turned around?

Briks runs end-of-lease turnarounds in 5 working days for a standard 3-bedroom property — patch and paint, regrout where needed, fitting replacements, and one coordinated handover. Longer for properties with substantial damage or staged trade work.

Do I need photos for every end-of-lease repair?

For SA bond disputes, photo evidence of the original condition (from entry report), the damage at exit, and the post-repair state is the strongest defence. Briks supplies this as a packaged PDF for every end-of-lease job we coordinate.

End-of-lease repair checklist for SA landlords

In South Australia, end-of-lease repair responsibility splits between tenant make-good and landlord routine maintenance. The Residential Tenancies Act 1995 sets the line: tenants must return the property in the same condition as the entry condition report (fair wear and tear excepted), and landlords must keep the property in a reasonable state of repair throughout the tenancy.

What counts as fair wear and tear in SA?

Fair wear and tear is the gradual deterioration of a property from normal use over time. Examples include faded paintwork on walls exposed to direct sun, slight carpet flattening in walkways, and minor scuff marks at door handles. Damage from negligence, abuse, or accidents is not fair wear and tear and is the tenant's responsibility to repair.

Tenant-responsibility checklist

Wall holes from picture hooks, TV mounts, or shelves (tenant-installed)
Stains on carpet, floors, or walls from spills, pet accidents, or smoke damage
Damage to fly screens, blind cords, or curtain tracks
Burnt or cracked benchtop from hot pans or knives
Mould caused by tenant ventilation failure (e.g. blocked exhaust fans, no shower fan use)
Garden overgrowth where the lease specified tenant maintenance
Light bulbs blown during tenancy (tenant replaces)
Fly screens torn, security door damage from tenant action

Landlord-responsibility checklist

Repaint where exit condition is general fade or wear (post-2 years tenancy)
Hot water system end-of-life replacement
Air conditioner servicing where last service is overdue
Smoke alarm replacement (mandatory for hardwired and 10-year sealed-battery units)
Roof leak repairs from age-related ridge cap failure or membrane fatigue
Pest treatment except where tenant has caused infestation
Stormwater clearing and gutter cleaning between tenancies
Compliance items reaching their renewal cycle (RCD testing, smoke alarms)

The ten items that catch SA landlords out

01Cooktop extractor fan filters and ducting — mould inside ducting is rarely the tenant's job to deep-clean
02Hot water tempering valve service — landlord obligation, often forgotten between tenancies
03Garage door springs and openers — wear-and-tear for the landlord
04Hardwired smoke alarms hitting their 10-year replacement date during a tenancy
05RCD (safety switch) testing — mandatory in SA rentals
06Pool fence compliance certificates renewing during tenancy
07Carpet steam clean as per lease wording — verify whether it is tenant exit or landlord responsibility
08Painted ceilings discoloured by gas heater fumes (heater is landlord plant)
09Garden taps and fittings reaching end of life — landlord plumbing
10Window flyscreens damaged by long-term sun rather than tenant action

Photo evidence is the difference between bond returned and dispute

For every end-of-lease repair, photograph: the issue from three angles, the surrounding context for scale, the tenant's entry condition report photo of the same area, and the post-repair result. Briks coordinators take and supply this set as standard for every end-of-lease job we run, packaged as a PDF for the property manager to forward to the bond office if needed.