Aus renter sparks debate over ‘urgent’ landlord request

David Campbell

Updated 8 May 2026, 2:02pm

First published 8 May 2026, 11:04am

A frustrated Aussie has questioned the “urgent” repair job his landlord demanded on an exhaust fan that turned out to be “just a little dirty”.

The resident sought advice from fellow Aussies on social media after receiving the email following a routine home inspection.

The 37-year-old said he was annoyed to receive the demanding email given the job ended up being the cleaning of a bit of dust.

“At your recent routine inspection, the following items have been identified as needing your urgent attention,” the email read.

“Ensuite exhaust fan needs cleaning to maintain effective ventilation.

“If these items include repair work, the work must be undertaken to a professional standard by a suitably qualified, insured and licensed tradesperson.

“Please action these items and provide photos (and invoices where applicable) of completed items within 14 days of the date of this email.”

The fan took just seconds to clean, the tenant said. Picture: Reddit

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The cost to have an exhaust fan cleaned by a professional ranges from $50 to just over $200, in Australia.

The renter said nothing had been flagged during the inspection itself and the house was in great condition.

“Whole house is immaculate and it took me one minute to clean this. I honestly am just more annoyed than anything,” he said.

The landlord's email frustrated the Aussie renter. Picture: Reddit

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“I will be replying tomorrow morning with, ‘The urgent task of cleaning the ensuite exhaust fan has now been completed. Please see attached photo’.”

According to the Tenants’ Union of NSW, failure to complete work requested by a landlord — specifically repairs from damage — can result in the landlord repairing it themselves. It is common for the landlord to then charge the tenant. In extreme cases, landlords may make deductions from a renter’s bond or instigate legal action to terminate the contract and evict the tenant.

The story, posted to Reddit, attracted more than 100 comments from people who were split on whether the renter had a right to be annoyed at the request.

Many claimed the dust-clogged fan posed a fire risk and it was right for the landlord to call it out.

“Dust-clogged bathroom exhaust fans pose a serious but frequently ignored fire hazard. Also, when the fan is too dirty to move air properly, the humid air from showers just lingers in the room, which raises moisture levels and encourages mildew and Mold,” one person said.

“In my experience, they’re usually pretty adamant about exhaust fans because they’re an actual fire risk … You should keep them clear,” said another.

“You had a dirty fan, you were asked to clean the fan, you cleaned fan. What’s the problem,” asked another.

But others called out the email’s request for a professional to be engaged for the work, saying that wasn’t the tenant’s responsibility.

“If a trade is required for the remediation then it is maintenance and not a tenant problem,” they said.

The renter responded to many of the comments but stood by his initial frustrations over the alleged urgency of the task.

“I’ll stand by it not being urgent. The vent isn’t clogged. It’s just a little dirty,” he said.