Caravan tenants and park managers/owners are being urged to be aware of where they stand when it comes to emergency repairs in a rented van.

Emergencies are urgent issues which require prompt attention, such as a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the caravan, a dangerous electrical fault, or a failure or breakdown of an essential service or appliance used for hot water or cooking.

Also included are serious storm, fire, or impact damage, a fault or damage that makes the caravan unsafe or insecure, and a fault or damage that is likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a tenant.

Tenants can take action if the problem isn’t rectified quickly.

If the tenant can’t reach the property manager/owner or approved repairer, or the issue hasn’t been addressed in a reasonable time, the tenant can arrange for a tradesperson to fix the problem up to the value of two weeks’ rent.

The tenant could ask the park manager/owners to pay the repairer directly, or pay the bill themselves and ask the property owner for reimbursement.

The tenant should be reimbursed for the cost of the repairs within seven days.

If there’s a dispute, the tenant can apply to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) for a ruling. QCAT will consider a number of things, including whether the repairs were necessary because the tenant breached their tenancy agreement.