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  1. Housing.vic.gov.au
  2. Public renters
  3. Maintenance and repairs

Arranging maintenance and repairs

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We would like to hear from you as soon as you need any maintenance or repairs. To request maintenance, complete the online form or contact the Housing Call Centre on 13 11 72. The Housing Call Centre arranges most responsive maintenance for public housing properties.

Contact the Housing Call Centre

Contact the Housing Call Centre if your home needs responsive maintenance - repairs that are needed because of normal wear and tear, or damage caused by your household or visitors. You can contact them in three ways:

If you phone the Housing Call Centre, a customer service representative will ask for:

  • Your full name
  • Your address
  • Your telephone number
  • What maintenance you wish to report.

We will then report your maintenance to our contractors for action.

The time it takes to do the repairs depends on how urgent or complex the maintenance issue is.

Information Collection

Your privacy is very important.

In order to log your request for repairs with our head contractor we will need to confirm your identity either by you providing your password or by you answering a number of questions which relate to your tenancy with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

The information you provide about the repair on your property including the address as well as your contact details will be recorded in our housing ICT system HiiP and shared with the maintenance contractor for them to undertake the work. HiiP is a secure ICT system.

Without this information we are not able to process your request for repairs.

The information you provide about yourself is collected, retained, and used in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Public Records Act 1973 (Vic). You are able to request access to this information, or request that your information be corrected through making contact with your local housing office. You can also request access through contacting Freedom of Information by email foi@dffh.vic.gov.au or phone (03) 9096 8449 or 1300 475 170.

For more information on how the Department manages your personal information, please refer to the department’s privacy policy which can be downloaded from the department website’s privacy policy page.

If you have a question about this privacy statement or wish to make a complaint about the way we have collected, used, retained, or disclosed your personal information, please contact the department’s privacy team at privacy@dffh.vic.gov.au.

What are my maintenance responsibilities as a renter?

As a renter, you must look after your home and do small routine repairs, such as:

  • Replacing light globes
  • Testing smoke alarms
  • Pest control
  • Looking after your garden
  • General cleaning.

If there is a reason why you cannot do these things (for health reasons or due to a disability), contact your local housing office.

We are not able to arrange repairs for your personal items (like your television, fridge or washing machine).

Paying for maintenance

We will pay for the cost of repairs caused by an accident or fair wear and tear.

You may need to pay repair costs for damage caused by you or your household members and visitors. 

Before a decision is made about your responsibility to pay repair costs we would like to talk to you to understand your circumstances. Contact your local housing office. 

The department will consider reducing or waiving repair costs when factors such as family violence, a disability, a physical or mental health condition, or an unknown person (such as someone breaking into your home) contributed to the repairs needed.

Considering property damage

When considering maintenance repair claims, we may need further evidence to support how your circumstances contributed to any damage or deterioration in the condition of your property. This evidence can be provided by:

  • Support workers
  • Treating health practitioners
  • Witnesses 
  • Police.

Where family violence is involved, we will accept advice from your family violence worker or other relevant support worker as evidence to support your claim.

What if I disagree with the final decision about what you expect me to pay?

Your case will be reviewed by a senior manager at the local housing office.

If you remain unhappy with the decision after a local review, you can apply for a formal departmental appeal.

To find out more about the appeals process you can contact the Housing Appeals Office on 1800 807 702 or talk to staff at the local housing office.

If we can’t reach an agreement with you, we may apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for an order for the assessed maintenance costs. If this happens, you will also be able to have your side of the matter heard by VCAT. 

Advocacy and information

You can have an advocate or support person with you when you talk to us. 

For information and assistance, you can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181, Tenants Victoria on 9416 2577 or Victoria Legal Aid on 1300 792 387.