Is the Tenant or the Landlord Responsible for Cleaning Gutters in Queensland?

The RTA's answer turns on who caused the blockage. Its page on drains and gutters (opens in a new tab) says: “However, if the tenant has not done anything to block the gutters, the property manager/owner may be responsible for cleaning them.” Notice the word “may”. The RTA doesn't make it a hard rule, so your lease matters too.

Owners and property managers who'd rather hand the job over can book a clean for the rental with us. It's a clean on its own, with no gutter guard needed, anywhere across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.

We read the RTA's wording on 23 September 2026. The page doesn't show a date of its own, so check it again before you act on it.

The RTA's page on maintenance (opens in a new tab) adds two lines worth knowing. Property managers and owners “may have maintenance responsibilities for things such as tree lopping or blocked drainpipes”. And “Specific responsibilities should be listed in the tenancy agreement.” So read the lease first.

Still unclear? Call the RTA on 1300 366 311 (opens in a new tab), Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, except public holidays. It takes renting questions online too. What you're reading here is general information only.

If the tenant caused the blockage, they may be. The RTA's example is a drain rather than a gutter: “If the tenant has caused the blockage (e.g. a child puts a toy down the drain) they may be responsible for the removal of any items that caused the problem.”

The same paragraph goes on: “The tenant may also have to pay for the cost of removal and any damage.”

Wear and tear sits on the other side. For a drain blocked through “fair wear and tear (e.g. tree roots)”, the RTA says “the property manager/owner is responsible for ensuring the drainpipes are cleared and maintained to a working standard.” Again, that's drainpipes. The page doesn't give a gutter example.

So if you can't tell which side of the line a blocked gutter sits on, ask the RTA before anyone pays for anything.

The RTA's page on routine repairs (opens in a new tab) puts it in one line: “The property owner/manager is responsible for ensuring the property is fit to live in and in a good state of repair at the start of the tenancy and during the agreement.” For gutters, cleaning may be the owner's job unless the tenant blocked them.

Trees come into it too. The RTA says “Major work such as tree lopping or pruning trees and shrubs (opens in a new tab) is usually carried out by the property manager/owner”. Branches that hang over the roof keep dropping leaf into the gutter, so look at the pruning and the gutters together. Here's how often gutters need cleaning, depending on the trees.

Then there's timing. Book the clean before storm season. A summer storm can dump a lot of water on the roof in minutes. If the gutter's packed with leaves, that water has nowhere to go but over the fascia or back under the roof.

Look after more than one rental? Do them all in one booking round before the storms. It beats taking overflow calls from tenants in the middle of summer. Put the homes under trees at the top of the list. Our storm season checklist covers the other jobs worth doing before then.

Give each tenant notice, too. The RTA's page on entry to the property (opens in a new tab) says the property manager/owner “can only enter the property for a valid reason and if the correct notice has been given using the Entry notice (Form 9).” For repairs or maintenance, it lists 48 hours' notice, unless the tenant agrees to the entry.

Keep a note of the date each home was done, so next year's round is easy to plan.

We quote every clean on its own, and the quote is free. Tell us how many storeys each home has, so we turn up ready for the height. You'll have the price before we start. There's more on what a clean includes on our gutter cleaning service page.

Tell your property manager or landlord, in writing if you can. The RTA says tenants are responsible for “reporting any maintenance needs in a timely way to the property manager/owner, ideally in writing.” Add a photo if you can take one from the ground. Don't get on the roof yourself.

If water's getting inside, look at the RTA's list of emergency repairs (opens in a new tab). It includes “a serious roof leak” and “flooding or serious flood damage”. For those, the RTA says to contact the emergency contact on your lease as soon as you know.

Or just send your property manager a link to this page.

If you're paying for a clean every year, it's worth asking about. Our gutter guard is aluminium mesh fitted over your existing gutters. It keeps the leaves out, so water runs through to the downpipes. Every install starts with a free gutter clean and comes with our written 10-year no blocked gutter guarantee.

It's the owner's call, since the mesh is fitted to the house. Our page on gutter guard for homes covers tile and metal roofs, and what the install includes.

Gutters under open sky fill far slower than gutters under gums or palms. If that's your rental, a yearly clean may be all it needs. Our guide to whether guard is worth it covers the downsides too. Ask while we're quoting, and we'll tell you straight which way we'd go.