If we have express instructions in writing from the landlord to obtain a specified number of quotations we have a duty of obedience to obtain that specified number of quotations. In the absence of such instructions we will exercise discretion on a case by case basis and decide whether obtaining one or more quotations is necessary or practical. We have a duty of care and skill to the landlord and the landlord has a duty of care to the tenant for disrepair. Failing to act promptly to a reported disrepair would breach the landlords duty so the time taken to obtain multiple quotations needs to be considered carefully.
Our decision to obtain multiple quotations for a repair is based on many factors including:
- Any prior instructions received from the landlord
- Our trust in the contractor initially assigned to the repair (combination of the contractor’s expertise and our experience working with the contractor on previous occasions on similar repairs)
- The estimated cost of repair
- The urgency of repair
- Relative cost of parts/labour for repair
- Cost of obtaining quotations – some contractors charge a fee for visiting the property, diagnosing the fault and providing an estimate or quotation
Managing repairs in a rental property is different from managing repairs in an owner occupied property (e.g. landlord’s home). In an owner occupied property you have the freedom to chose when you do the repair or even if you do the repair at all. In a rental property, landlords have a statutory obligation to undertake repairs with reasonable expedition and the property is part of a business for which the landlord is receiving income.
Further Reading
Jungle Property blog article How much time does a landlord have to carry out a repair?
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