Should Landlords Book Gutter Cleans or Fit Gutter Guard on a Rental?
The short answer
Book a clean before each storm season if the rental sits under open sky. If gums or palms hang over the roof, gutter guard keeps the leaves out, and ours comes with a written 10-year no blocked gutter guarantee. Either way, the RTA lists 48 hours' notice for maintenance, so tell the tenant first.
By Guaranteed Gutter ProtectionLast updated
01 / Details
Should I Book a Yearly Gutter Clean or Fit Gutter Guard on My Rental?
It comes down to the trees. Gutters under open sky fill far slower than gutters under gums or palms, so a clean before each storm season may be all a rental needs. Gum trees drop leaves all year, and palms keep shedding too. If they hang over the roof, the gutter fills up again between cleans. That's when guard is worth a quote.
A clean fixes the gutter today. Gutter guard keeps the leaves out after that. So for a landlord, the real choice is how often you want to book the job and send the tenant a notice.
Who pays for the clean is a separate question. The RTA's answer (opens in a new tab) turns on whether the tenant blocked the gutters, and our guide on who cleans the gutters on a Queensland rental goes through it. Thinking about tax time? Our guide on whether gutter cleaning is tax deductible covers that.
Trees are worth a look either way. The RTA says major work such as tree lopping or pruning (opens in a new tab) “is usually carried out by the property manager/owner as part of their obligation to keep the property in good repair.” Our guide to how often gutters need cleaning shows how the trees change it.
02 / Comparison
Yearly Clean or Gutter Guard: What Changes for a Landlord
| A clean before each storm season | Gutter guard | |
|---|---|---|
| What you book | A clean every year, quoted job by job | One install, with a free gutter clean first |
| Suits | Rentals under open sky | Rentals under gums or palms |
| Entry notice | 48 hours before each clean, unless the tenant agrees to a time | Agree a time with the tenant for the install. Later visits need 48 hours' notice, the same as a clean |
| Leaves | Cleared out of the gutter at each clean | Sit on top of the mesh until wind or rain moves them along |
| In writing | A free quote, with the price before we start | Four guarantees, including our 10-year no blocked gutter guarantee |
03 / Details
How Much Notice Does the Tenant Need Before Gutter Work?
48 hours, for routine repairs and maintenance. That's the notice period the RTA lists, and the RTA puts drains and gutters under maintenance (opens in a new tab). The notice goes on its Entry notice (Form 9) (opens in a new tab). If the tenant agrees to a time, you can go by that instead. They can agree out loud or in writing.
There are set hours too. The RTA says “Entry must be between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays.” Outside those hours, only if the tenant agrees. The owner or property manager also “must specify a two-hour period for entering the property,” and must come in during that window. They can stay past it to finish the job. The RTA says the window doesn't apply to other people, such as tradespeople.
The tenant doesn't have to be home. In the RTA's words, “Tenants do not need to be present for an entry unless it is a condition of the agreed entry.” If they'd like to be there, the RTA says to work out a time that suits.
And the owner or property manager can bring someone along when the job needs it. The RTA's own example is “entering with a tradesperson to complete repairs”.
We read these rules on 29 October 2026. They're general information, so check the RTA's page before you send a notice. Or call the RTA on 1300 366 311 (opens in a new tab), Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, except public holidays.
04 / Checklist
What Should I Tell My Property Manager About the Gutters?
- 01Who books the clean, and whenAgree whether you or the agent books it, and set it for before storm season. Got more than one rental? Do them in one round, with the homes under trees first.
- 02Put it in the leaseThe RTA says “Specific responsibilities should be listed in the tenancy agreement.” So write down who arranges the gutters. It saves an argument later.
- 03Keep the emergency contact currentThe RTA says the tenancy agreement must include “the name and phone number of the nominated repairer”. Its emergency repairs list includes “a serious roof leak” and “flooding or serious flood damage”. If the tenant can't reach that contact in a reasonable time, the tenant or property manager can arrange emergency repairs up to 4 weeks' rent.
- 04Ask the tenant to speak up earlyThe RTA says tenants report maintenance needs “in a timely way to the property manager/owner, ideally in writing.” Ask for a short note, and a photo from the ground, if they see water spilling over the gutter in rain. Nobody needs to climb up to check.
- 05Look at the treesPruning usually sits with the owner, the RTA says. Fallen branches count as well: “Any damage caused by fallen branches may be the property manager/owner's responsibility to repair.”
- 06Keep a note of each cleanWrite down the date each home was done, so next year's round is easy to plan.
05 / Details
Does Gutter Guard Mean the Gutters Never Need Cleaning?
No. Gutter guard keeps the leaves out of the gutter itself, so water runs through to the downpipes. Leaves sit on top of the mesh until wind or rain moves them along, and the roof above still needs a look now and then. So plan on the odd visit, with the same 48 hours' notice.
What changes is the paperwork. Every install starts with a free gutter clean, and every home gets four guarantees in writing: a 25-year full system guarantee, a 20-year workmanship guarantee, our 10-year no blocked gutter guarantee and a 10-year coating guarantee against fading.
We fit premium aluminium mesh over your existing gutters, on tile and metal roofs. Our page on gutter guard for homes covers what the install includes. Our guide on whether gutter guard is worth it covers the downsides too.
06 / Details
Who Can Do the Gutters on My Rental?
We can. We clean gutters and fit gutter guard across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. We're family-owned for over 25 years and fully insured, and quotes are free. You can book a gutter clean on its own, with no gutter guard needed, or ask us for a free on-site quote for gutter guard.
Tell us how many storeys the rental has, so we turn up ready for the height. You'll have the price before we start.
Booking ahead of the storms? Our storm season checklist covers the other jobs worth doing before then.
More Questions
More Questions, Answered
Who is responsible for cleaning gutters in a rental property in Victoria?
Consumer Affairs Victoria (opens in a new tab) doesn't say, since its page on repairs in rental properties doesn't mention gutters. That page does say “The rental provider must organise and pay for all repairs if they are not the renter's fault.” If the renter caused the damage, it says they may have to pay. Read the lease too.
Are tenants responsible for cleaning the outside of the house?
For the yard, usually. Queensland's RTA (opens in a new tab) says “Generally, the tenant is responsible for yard work (e.g. mowing, edging, and weeding), however this should be specified in the agreement.” Tenants may need to clear small, manageable branches, while larger ones may be the owner's job. Gutters are a question of their own, and our rental gutters guide covers it.
What is the minimum notice a landlord can give a tenant?
For entry, in Queensland it depends on why they're coming in. The RTA lists (opens in a new tab) 7 days for a general inspection, which is limited to once every 3 months, and 48 hours for routine repairs and maintenance. If the tenant agrees, entry can be at the agreed time. No entry notice is needed in an emergency.
Sources checked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Maintenance (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Entry in general tenancies and moveable dwellings (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Emergency repairs (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Lawns, gardens and trees (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Drains and gutters (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Residential Tenancies Authority (QLD), Contact (opens in a new tab)rta.qld.gov.auChecked
- Consumer Affairs Victoria, Repairs in rental properties (opens in a new tab)consumer.vic.gov.auChecked
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