Air conditioning in a NSW rental: permission, repairs and replacement

If the air conditioner in your NSW rental stops working, contact your property manager or landlord first. If you want to add a unit where there is none, check your lease and discuss written permission before arranging installation. The information you send depends on which situation you are in.

When an existing air conditioner stops working

Send the agent or landlord a short description of the fault, when it began and which rooms are affected. Include the model number or any error code you can read safely, and suggest times when a technician can access the property. Keep a copy of the message and any follow-up.

NSW Fair Trading lists an air conditioner breakdown under essential appliance failures in its rental repairs guidance. Check that guidance for the urgent repair process and any conditions before arranging work yourself. Your lease may list a preferred tradesperson.

When you want to install a new unit

Check whether your lease allows the work. If it does not, ask for written permission from the landlord. See NSW Fair Trading’s guidance on changes to rental properties before committing to a quote.

For a fixed split system, send a proposed indoor and outdoor location and ask who would pay for the equipment, installation and servicing. Agree who would own the equipment and what would happen when the tenancy ends. Ask an installer to identify any wall penetrations, pipe runs, electrical work or access needs so the landlord can review the scope.

Check building rules in a strata property

Ask the agent for the by-laws and confirm who will contact the strata manager if the work affects common property. The Sydney strata approval guide explains what an owner can prepare for the building’s review.

What to include when requesting a quote

• Say whether you need a diagnosis, a replacement or a new installation.
• Identify who can approve the work and how the installer should arrange access.
• Share the equipment details and relevant access or building constraints.
• Ask the quote to list the proposed work, exclusions and any items that need a site visit.

If the owner is comparing replacement quotes, use the Sydney split system replacement checklist to compare removal, reuse and installation scope.