There are no specific rules about air conditioning or ceiling fans in Queensland tenancy law. However, air conditioning and ceiling fans are covered by general rules for cleaning, maintenance, repairs and requesting fixtures.

There is no requirement for a rental property to have air conditioning or a ceiling fan in Queensland.

Requesting air conditioning or ceiling fans

Tenants/residents can ask their property manager/owner to install air conditioning or ceiling fans.

If a tenant/resident wants to arrange for air conditioning or ceiling fans to be installed themselves, they will need to follow the process for requesting fixtures and structural changes. The property manager/owner must be reasonable when considering the request.

Checks at the start of a tenancy

If a property has air conditioning or ceiling fans at the start of a tenancy, they must be in working order. It’s important to check that they are clean and working, then note their condition or any issues on the entry condition report. 

Maintenance and cleaning

Tenants/residents have a responsibility to keep a property clean during a tenancy, which can include regularly cleaning fans and air conditioning filters or vents.

Property managers/owners may want to arrange for an annual service of air conditioning units to check for any issues. While this isn’t a requirement under Queensland tenancy law, it may be considered part of general property maintenance.

If the property manager/owner wants the tenant/resident to be responsible for cleaning fans and/or air conditioning filters, it is recommended these arrangements and expectations are discussed before the agreement begins and included in the special terms. To help tenants/residents fulfil any cleaning obligations, it is recommended that the property manager/owner provides a copy of the instruction manual and/or gives clear instructions for how the cleaning is to be done.

The property manager/owner cannot require the tenant/resident to use a particular company to provide maintenance services, such as cleaning.

Repairs

The property manager/owner is responsible for keeping inclusions such as air conditioning and ceiling fans in a good state of repair. 

Tenants/residents should report any issues to their property manager/owner as soon as possible so that a licenced contractor can be arranged to inspect and fix the appliance.

Find out more on our repairs page.

Summer and winter checks

It’s recommended that tenants/residents clean and test air conditioning and ceiling fans before summer and winter. This allows time for any issues to be addressed before the seasons when they are most needed.