The Latrobe Valley has a large rental market. Traralgon draws renters working at the hospital, in health, education, government and the energy sector. Morwell and Moe have a high proportion of rented homes, many of them former State Electricity Commission houses. Churchill has students and staff connected to the Federation University campus. All of that means plenty of tenancies starting and ending each year, and plenty of small repairs that need doing in between.

We carry out end of lease repairs for tenants, routine maintenance for landlords, and repair lists for property managers across Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill and the surrounding towns. We work from the condition report or the agent’s list, fix what is needed, and send dated photos so everyone can see the work was done.

For tenants: end of lease repairs

When you move out, the property needs to be left in the same condition as at the start of your tenancy, apart from fair wear and tear. Small damage that is not fair wear and tear can be deducted from your bond. Common items we fix for outgoing tenants:

• Picture hook and screw holes filled, sanded and touched up
• Wall marks and scuffs cleaned or patched and touched up
• Small holes in plasterboard from door handles, furniture or accidents patched and painted
• Blu-Tack and adhesive hook marks removed and touched up
• Broken blinds, cords, chains and slats repaired or replaced
• Torn flyscreens re-meshed
• Door stops replaced and door handle damage repaired
• Curtain rods and tracks refixed
• Cracked or missing tiles replaced where spares are available
• Damaged skirting and architraves repaired
• TV wall mounts removed and wall holes patched (where you had permission to install them)

Book early. The last week of a tenancy is always busy, and paint touch-ups need drying time. Ideally, book us a week or more before your final inspection.

What counts as fair wear and tear?

Fair wear and tear is the normal deterioration that happens over time with ordinary use, such as slightly faded paint, minor carpet wear in walkways or loose door handles from years of use. Damage, such as holes in walls, burns, broken fixtures and large marks, is not fair wear and tear. Consumer Affairs Victoria has guidance on this. If you are unsure, compare the entry condition report with the current state of the property. We do not advise on bond disputes, but we can fix the items you decide to fix.

Touch-ups and paint matching

Wall patches need painting, and touch-ups on old paint can show if the colour or sheen does not match. Ask the agent or landlord for the paint colour and brand if known. If not, we try to match by eye or by sample. Sometimes painting a full wall from corner to corner is the only way to get an even finish, and we will tell you if that is the case.

For landlords: keeping rentals in good order

Since the Victorian rental reforms, rental properties must meet minimum standards, covering items like locks on external doors, working window coverings in bedrooms and living areas, structurally sound buildings, and adequate ventilation. Repairs need to be carried out in a reasonable time, and urgent repairs very quickly.

We help landlords keep on top of:

• Repairs reported by tenants
• Items from routine inspection reports
• Maintenance between tenancies
• Safety items such as loose stair rails, wobbly deck boards and broken window latches
• Upgrading or repairing window coverings
• Small upgrades that improve rentability, such as new door hardware, accessories and fresh silicone

Between-tenancy refresh

The time between tenants is the best time to catch up on maintenance. A typical refresh might include patching and touching up walls, replacing worn door stops and hardware, fixing blinds and flyscreens, resealing the bathroom and kitchen, cleaning gutters and tidying the garden edges. We can work through the whole list in one or two visits and send a photo report.

For property managers

We work with agencies in Traralgon, Morwell and Moe on repair work orders. What we offer agencies:

• Work orders accepted by email, with the job details, tenant contact and access arrangements
• Contact with tenants to arrange access, with the right notice
• Clear quotes for larger items so you can get the owner’s approval before we start
• Dated before-and-after photos with each invoice
• Notes on anything else we noticed that needs attention, such as early signs of leaks, rot or safety issues
• Invoices addressed as you need, to the agency or directly to the owner

See our property managers page for more detail.

What we do not do

We do not carry out work that needs a licence, such as plumbing, gas, electrical or smoke alarm servicing. Smoke alarm and gas and electrical safety checks in rentals must be done by appropriately qualified people. We do not clean the property, steam clean carpets or remove large volumes of furniture. We can refer you to local cleaners and removalists, and we can handle small rubbish removal.

Common rental repairs by room

Living areas

Wall patching, curtain track repairs, blind repairs, door handle replacement, skirting repairs, and TV mount removal.

Bedrooms

Wardrobe door repairs and track adjustments, hanging rail replacement, blind repairs and wall touch-ups.

Kitchen

Cupboard hinge adjustments and replacement, drawer runner repairs, kitchen silicone, and loose handles. See kitchen cupboard repairs.

Bathroom and laundry

Silicone replacement, loose towel rails and toilet roll holders, mirror re-fixing, regrouting, and exhaust fan grille cleaning.

Outside

Fence palings and gate latches, flyscreens and security door repairs, gutter cleaning, clothesline repairs, and deck board fixes.

Areas we cover

End of lease and rental repairs in Traralgon, Morwell, Moe, Newborough, Churchill, Yallourn North, Glengarry, Tyers, Traralgon South and Hazelwood North.

Students and share houses in Churchill

Students at the Federation University campus in Churchill often rent in share houses, and moving out at the end of the academic year all happens at once. If you share a house, agree with your housemates which items each person is responsible for, and book repairs early in November before the rush. One visit to fix all the share-house items is better than several separate bookings.

Photos and records

Every job comes with before-and-after photos, dated and labelled by room. For tenants, keep these with your condition report and final inspection notes. For landlords and agents, they become part of the property’s maintenance record. Good records protect everyone if there is a question about the property’s condition later.

Planning your move-out

1. Compare the entry condition report with the property now and make a list.

2. Separate the items you will do yourself from the items needing a handyman.

3. Email us the list and photos about two weeks before you move out.

4. We quote, you approve, and we book the work in, ideally after your furniture is out.

5. Clean the property after the repairs, not before, because patching makes dust.

6. Keep our photos and invoice for your records.

Older rental housing in the Valley

Much of the rental stock in Morwell, Moe, Newborough and Churchill was built by the State Electricity Commission and the Housing Commission from the 1940s to the 1970s. Those homes are generally solidly built, but they come with recurring maintenance patterns: timber window frames that stick and rot at the sills, original doors that drop on worn hinges, hardwood floors that squeak, and cement sheet walls and eaves that may contain asbestos. When we work in older rentals, we keep these in mind. We do not drill, cut or sand suspect sheeting, and we will flag it so the owner can arrange testing if work is needed in those areas.

Mould in rentals

Mould is one of the most common disputes in Valley rentals, especially in winter. Older homes with poor insulation, no exhaust fans and windows that do not open properly get condensation on walls and ceilings, and mould follows. Rental providers have obligations around ventilation and mould caused by the building. Tenants also need to ventilate and heat the home reasonably. We can clean and treat mould on painted surfaces, repaint with mould-resistant paint, free up stuck windows and fix window latches so the home can be aired. If the cause is a roof leak, rising damp or a missing exhaust fan, the owner will need a plumber, roofer or electrician as well, and we will say so in our report.

Minimum standards items we can help with

Some of the Victorian rental minimum standards that involve handyman work include:

• Locks: external entry doors must be able to be secured with a functioning lock. Lock replacement and re-keying is locksmith work, but we can repair doors and frames so they close and latch properly.
• Window coverings: bedrooms and living areas need window coverings that can block light and provide privacy. We repair and replace blinds and curtain tracks.
• Structural soundness: we fix loose rails, steps and deck boards and flag larger structural issues.
• Ventilation: we free up windows that are painted shut or swollen, so rooms can be ventilated.

Check the current requirements on the Consumer Affairs Victoria website, because the rules change from time to time.

Fast turnaround between tenants

Every week a property sits empty is lost rent. We understand that, and we plan between-tenancy work around the agent’s timeline, fitting it in after the final inspection and before the professional clean and the new tenant’s entry inspection.

Owners living away

Many Valley rentals are owned by investors in Melbourne or interstate. If you manage your own rental from a distance, we can act as your local eyes and hands: checking on reported problems, sending photos and fixing small items so you are not paying for multiple trades to drive out.

Frequently asked questions