What maintenance should I be doing on my investment property?

Think in cycles rather than in jobs. Quarterly: test smoke alarms and RCDs, clean air conditioner filters, check for leaks and pests. Every six months: gutters, reticulation before summer, garden and tree clearance. Annually: a licensed electrician for smoke alarms and RCDs, a termite inspection, an air conditioning service, and a roof and gutter check. Every two to five years: repaint interiors, service or replace the hot water anode, reseal wet areas, restain timber decking. Every five to ten years: exterior repaint, carpets, appliances, hot water system. Beyond ten years: smoke alarm replacement at ten years, roof restoration, switchboard and hot water replacement.

How much should I budget for maintenance on a rental property?

A common rule of thumb is around 1 percent of the property value a year for a property under about fifteen years old, and closer to 1.5 percent for older stock. On a $700,000 Perth property that is roughly $7,000 to $10,500 a year. Most years will come in well under that and then one year will not, which is the point of budgeting for the average rather than the typical. Coastal properties, pools and large gardens all push the figure up.

What maintenance can a landlord do themselves in WA?

Gutter cleaning, garden and tree clearance, air conditioner filter cleaning, testing smoke alarms and RCDs between professional checks, replacing tap washers and shower heads, silicone touch ups, and general cleaning are all reasonable owner tasks. Anything electrical beyond replacing a globe, anything on gas, roof work, and anything requiring a licence must go to a licensed trade. In a tenanted property you also need to arrange access properly, with the required written notice, rather than simply turning up.

How often do smoke alarms need replacing?

Every ten years from the date of manufacture, not the date of installation, regardless of whether the alarm still beeps when tested. They must be mains powered and compliant with AS 3786 in a rental property. The date is printed on the back of the unit, which is worth checking at the next routine inspection because a great many Perth rentals are running alarms well past their expiry.

When is the winter sprinkler switch off in Perth?

From 1 June to 31 August every year, for both scheme and bore water users in Perth and Mandurah. No sprinklers at all during that window, though a handheld hose is still permitted. A breach can attract a $100 fine. Outside that window Perth runs a two day roster based on your street number, before 9am or after 6pm. The switch off window is the best time of year to have reticulation repaired, because nothing dies while the work happens.

Who pays for maintenance, the landlord or the tenant?

Broadly, the owner is responsible for keeping the property in a reasonable state of repair and for anything that fails through fair wear and tear or age. The tenant is responsible for keeping the property reasonably clean, for damage they or their guests cause, and typically for minor items such as replacing light globes and smoke alarm batteries where the alarm is accessible. Garden upkeep is usually the tenant's where the lease says so, though pool servicing is commonly retained by the owner. Your lease governs the detail.

A free tool for Perth property investors

What maintenance should you actually be doing?

Tell us about the property and we will build the schedule: quarterly through to twenty year replacements, what you can do yourself, what needs a licensed trade, and what is legally required in WA.

Takes about a minute. No sign-up, the schedule appears on screen and you can print it.

Property type

Roughly when was it built?

This drives which replacement cycles are already in play.

How close to the coast?

Salt air shortens the life of exterior paint, fixtures and anything metal, so the schedule tightens.

What does the property have?

Tick everything present. Items you do not tick are left off the schedule entirely.

When was each part last done?

This is the part that matters on an older home. A 1980s house with a renovated kitchen and an original bathroom is two different properties, and each item is tracked on its own clock. Leave anything you are unsure about as original.

Approximate property value optional

Used only to estimate an annual maintenance budget. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Why it matters more than it looks

Deferred maintenance is the most expensive kind.

Nothing on a maintenance schedule feels urgent, which is exactly the problem. Every item on it is cheap while it is scheduled and expensive once it fails.

The arithmetic

A $200 job becomes a $4,000 one

A blocked gutter is a morning's work. A blocked gutter through one wet Perth winter is water in the eaves, damaged ceilings and a repaint. The failure mode is almost always slow, invisible and then sudden.

The tenancy

Maintenance drives retention

Tenants who see things fixed properly report problems early and stay longer. Tenants who have learned that reporting achieves nothing stop reporting, and you find out at the outgoing inspection.

The claim

Insurers ask what you did

Where damage traces back to a maintenance item that was left, a claim gets harder. A record of scheduled work and dated invoices is what turns an argument into a payment.

The obligation

It is not optional in WA

A lessor must keep the premises in a reasonable state of repair having regard to their age and character. Some items, including smoke alarms, RCDs and pool barriers, carry their own penalties.

The deduction

Repairs are generally deductible

Repairs and maintenance on an income producing property are usually deductible in the year incurred, while improvements are capitalised and depreciated. Worth knowing before you decide between patching and replacing.

The exit

It shows up at sale

A building inspection at sale finds everything deferred, all at once, and at the worst possible moment for negotiating. Maintenance spent evenly costs less than maintenance spent under pressure.

Exterior of a Perth investment property under Local Property Partners management

Most of what protects a property happens on a schedule, not in an emergency.

Perth specifics worth knowing

Four things that catch out-of-state owners.

What	The rule	Why it matters
Winter sprinkler switch off	1 June to 31 Aug	No sprinklers at all in Perth and Mandurah, on scheme or bore water, with a $100 fine for a breach. A handheld hose is still allowed. Outside that window, two rostered days a week based on your street number, before 9am or after 6pm
Pool and spa barriers	Every 4 years	Local governments must inspect private barriers at least once every four years. Required wherever water is deeper than 30cm, including portable pools. You need to arrange access, which in a tenanted property means coordinating with your tenant
Smoke alarms	Replace at 10 years	Ten years from the date of manufacture printed on the unit, not from installation, and regardless of whether it still beeps. Must be mains powered and compliant with AS 3786 in a rental
Termites	Annually	Perth sits in a termite active zone and most policies exclude termite damage entirely. An annual inspection is the cheapest insurance available on a timber framed home

Sprinkler information from Water Corporation, pool barrier requirements from the Building Regulations 2012 and Building and Energy guidance, checked August 2026.

If the property is tenanted

You cannot simply turn up to do maintenance. Access requires the correct written notice and, for non-urgent work, agreement on timing. In practice this is the main reason owner-arranged maintenance stalls, and the main argument for having it coordinated by whoever manages the property.

Common questions

Maintenance, answered plainly.

Think in cycles rather than in jobs. Quarterly: test smoke alarms and RCDs, clean air conditioner filters, check for leaks and pests. Every six months: gutters, reticulation before summer, garden and tree clearance. Annually: a licensed electrician for the smoke alarms and RCDs, a termite inspection, an air conditioning service, a roof and gutter check. Every two to five years: interior repaint, hot water anode, reseal wet areas, restain decking. Every five to ten years: exterior repaint, carpets, appliances, hot water system. Beyond ten: smoke alarm replacement at ten years, roof restoration, switchboard. The tool above builds the version of that list which applies to your property.

A common rule of thumb is around 1 percent of the property value a year for a property under about fifteen years old, and closer to 1.5 percent for older stock. On a $700,000 property that is roughly $7,000 to $10,500 a year. Most years come in well under and then one year does not, which is the point of budgeting for the average rather than the typical. Pools, large gardens and coastal exposure all push it up.

Reasonable owner tasks: gutters, gardens and tree clearance, air conditioner filters, testing alarms and RCDs between professional checks, tap washers and shower heads, silicone touch ups, general cleaning. Licensed trade only: anything electrical beyond changing a globe, anything on gas, roof work, and anything requiring a licence or certificate. In a tenanted property you also need to arrange access properly rather than turning up, which is worth factoring in before deciding to do it yourself.

Every ten years from the date of manufacture, which is printed on the back of the unit, not from the date it was installed and regardless of whether it still beeps when tested. They must be mains powered and compliant with AS 3786 in a rental property. It is worth having the manufacture dates checked at the next routine inspection, because a great many Perth rentals are running alarms past their expiry without anyone realising.

1 June to 31 August every year, for both scheme and bore water users across Perth and Mandurah. No sprinklers at all in that window, though a handheld hose stays legal, and a breach can attract a $100 fine. Outside it, Perth runs a two day roster set by your street number, before 9am or after 6pm. The switch off is also the best window of the year for reticulation repairs, because nothing dies while the work is done.

Local governments must inspect private pool and spa barriers at least once every four years. A compliant barrier is required wherever water is more than 30cm deep, including portable and inflatable pools, under the Building Regulations 2012 and AS 1926.1-2012. There is no acreage exemption and no grandfathering. As the owner you need to provide access when the council schedules it.

Yes, and by more than most owners expect. Salt shortens the life of exterior paint, fixtures, fittings, gutters, air conditioning condensers and anything metal. An exterior repaint that lasts eight to ten years inland is often five to seven within a couple of kilometres of the coast. Rinsing salt off external hardware and condenser units a few times a year costs nothing and materially extends their life, which is why the tool adds it for coastal properties.

Broadly, the owner keeps the property in a reasonable state of repair and covers anything failing through fair wear and tear or age. The tenant keeps it reasonably clean, covers damage they or their guests cause, and typically handles minor items such as light globes and accessible smoke alarm batteries. Garden upkeep usually sits with the tenant where the lease says so, while pool servicing is commonly retained by the owner. Your lease governs the detail, which is a good reason to be specific in it.

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If you would rather not track it yourself

We diarise all of this against the property.

Every compliance item, every service interval and every inspection sits on a calendar attached to the property rather than to anyone's memory, so nothing lapses when workloads shift or managers change.

Get a free appraisal Landlord Control Center

This tool provides general guidance for Western Australian property owners. It is not a building inspection, a compliance audit, or legal, tax or financial advice, and it does not replace advice from a licensed trade or a registered building inspector for your specific property.

All dollar figures are indicative ranges for the Perth market at the time of publication, intended to help with budgeting rather than to quote work. Actual costs vary considerably with access, scope, materials, property size and trade availability. Always obtain written quotes before authorising work.

Service intervals and replacement lifespans are typical ranges. Actual life depends on quality, installation, usage, exposure and climate, and manufacturer guidance for your specific equipment takes precedence. Coastal adjustments applied by this tool are a general allowance, not a measurement.

Compliance items are summarised as at August 2026. Smoke alarm and RCD requirements sit under the Building Regulations 2012 and Electricity Regulations 1947. Pool and spa barrier requirements sit under the Building Regulations 2012 and AS 1926.1-2012, with local government inspections at least every four years. Sprinkler restrictions are administered by Water Corporation and DWER. Requirements vary by property type, age and local government area, and this is not an exhaustive statement of your obligations.

Where a property is tenanted, access for maintenance requires the notice and agreement set out in the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA). Responsibility for particular items as between lessor and tenant depends on the Act and on your tenancy agreement. Repairs and improvements are treated differently for tax purposes, so speak with a registered tax agent.

Nothing you enter is transmitted unless you request the schedule by email. Local Property Partners. Registered Agent RA85442. ABN 48 582 232 398.