Home > Get Ready Challenge > Stage Five
Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, everyone benefits from a bushfire-ready property – and safety is a shared responsibility. Here’s what you need to know, plus some legal guidance from the Blue Mountains Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service.
Who does what?
Most tenancy agreements require tenants to maintain the yard and report maintenance issues promptly. In bushfire terms, that means things like cracked roof tiles, gaps in walls, broken cladding or faulty gutters.
If trees need to be removed or heavily trimmed, speak with your property manager first. Council permission may be required.
As a tenant, you are in the best position to spot problems early. If you would like to see upgrades from the Home Preparation Checklist added to your rental, ask your property manager if the landlord is willing to consider bushfire safety improvements.
A safer home benefits everyone.
Legal concerns
It can be confusing to know who’s responsible for what when it comes to bushfire preparation. Some things are clear – for example, tenants are responsible for mowing and weeding, while landlords are responsible for tree lopping and general repairs – but other responsibilites are a real grey area.
So we turned to the experts at the Blue Mountains Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service (BMTAAS). They’ve created a handy summary covering:
- Garden & lawns
- Gutters
- Tenant and landlord liability
- Assistance for over 65s
[Download the summary (PDF, 165kb)](link needed)
Special thanks to Ben Connor from BMTAAS for providing this resource.
The bottom line is, good communication between tenants, landlords and property managers is essential.
If disaster strikes
This page has an overview of rights and responsibilities for both landlords and tenants in the event of a natural disaster.
The NSW Office of Fair Trading offers advice, fact sheets and a hotline for tenants and landlords dealing with natural disasters. Read their fact sheet for landlords.
Insurance is critical for both landlords and tenants. If you’re renting, make sure your contents insurance covers bushfire damage, including relocation costs if your home becomes uninhabitable.
Flick back a step and check out our insurance guide for more details on this topic.
Five stages down, one to go!
Wow, look at you go, house and yard are all prepped for bushfire season, plans are all made. What’s left to do?
The final stage of the Challenge is all about preparing for the unexpected. You know your plan… but do you know your Plan B?