CDA ColivingLiving at CDA
Maintenance, rent, utilities, sharing the house and transfers. Your day-to-day, sorted.
Maintenance & Repairs
The faster we know, the faster we can fix it.
How to report an issue
Submit all requests through the official form, with photos or videos, a description, and how long it's been happening:
→ cdacoliving.info/Maintenance
Or by email: hello@cdacoliving.com. For urgent issues call (02) 8188 1605, Option 3. The call is free; if a call-out turns out not to be urgent, its cost may be charged (the Charge Schedule in the House Rules has the figures).
Even if a repair isn't completed yet, never stop paying rent. Withholding rent puts you in breach of your agreement.
Fire or smoke inside the property · assault · gas explosion or uncontrolled leak · a person unconscious or in medical distress · dangerous flooding. Police non-emergency: 131 444.
Priority levels & response times
| Priority | Examples | Response |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent | Serious water leak · blocked/broken toilet · serious roof leak · gas leak · no electricity · flooding · no water or hot water · stove/oven failure · fridge not working · anything making the property unsafe | Within 2 days |
| High, L1 | Mould · key or lock issues · no internet · taps · shower head · bins · lights & power points | Within 3 days |
| Medium, L2 | Washing machine/dryer · pest control · microwave, kettle, toaster · window issues · curtains/blinds · gardening · minor leak | Within 5 days |
| Low, L3 | Furniture replacement · minor damage (door, wall, paint) · mattress replacement | Within 10 days |
These are CDA's own service targets; some repairs have timeframes set by law that override this table. Requests outside office hours are handled the next business day, and urgent repairs as fast as we can.
What's on you
- Minor maintenance: replacing light bulbs, cleaning windows, dusting, removing cobwebs
- Damage you cause, where the repair cost is charged to you
- Reporting issues promptly, mould above all, as soon as you notice it. The Mould Guide shows what to look for
Rent & Payments
How rent works, and what to do when a bill raises questions.
How rent works
- Rent is always paid in advance
- You can request a rental ledger at any time for your full payment history
- The system updates every 24 hours, so a payment you made this morning may not show yet
- Paid from a different account than usual? It may not match automatically, so let us know
If you're going to be late, tell us before the due date. We can almost always work something out. Rent left unpaid for 7 days may lead to a one-week termination notice, and repeated late payments can end your agreement.
Common billing situations
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Received a debt email but already paid | If paid within 24 hrs, wait for the system to update. If it persists, request a rental ledger and breakdown at hello@cdacoliving.com. |
| Small extra charge on your bill | Usually a proportional rent adjustment, partial days, or a billing correction. Ask us for a detailed breakdown. |
| Credit balance with CDA | Credits may apply automatically, but always confirm with our team before assuming they offset your rent. |
| Paid from a different bank account, or in cash | Send proof of transfer, or your cash deposit receipt, to hello@cdacoliving.com so we can match it. |
Your security deposit is reserved for end-of-tenancy costs. It cannot be used as rent under any circumstances.
Rent increases
- Your occupancy fee cannot increase during the fixed term
- A new agreement after your term may have different rates
- During month-to-month, increases require at least 4 weeks' written notice
Utilities & Wi-Fi
Electricity, gas, water and Wi-Fi are included. Tap a card for the detail.
The bills are on us, within reason. Nobody is counting your showers or timing the kettle.
What counts as reasonable use, and what happens if a house goes well past it, is set out in your agreement.
Only pedestal fans and oil-column heaters are permitted in bedrooms. If an appliance we haven't approved turns up in your room, the extra running cost lands on you rather than on the house.
The House Rules and your agreement have the detail.
Included for work, study and staying in touch. It comes from an outside provider, so we can't promise a speed or that it never drops out.
If it's down, report it through the maintenance form and we'll chase the provider until it's fixed. Console gaming comes second, and may be restricted if the house is struggling for speed.
Most properties have a washing machine; at one or two houses it sits next door or is shared with the neighbours. What's included is what you saw at your inspection; any doubts, ask our Occupant Support team.
Dryers are not standard. Where one exists it's a paid service, because of the electricity it uses. Otherwise use your property's drying area, never a closed room. That is how mould starts.
Sharing the House
Cleaning, bins and housemate life, in four short sections. Open the one you need.
What CDA may provide
- General cleaning of the common areas: kitchen, bathrooms, hallways and shared living spaces
- Whether a cleaner comes to your house, and how often: ask us and we'll confirm it for your property in writing
Not available at all houses, never includes bedrooms, and never includes deep cleaning.
What's on the house
- Keep your bedroom clean at all times
- Wash dishes immediately after use
- Clean up after yourself in shared areas
- Bins out on the right days, sorted correctly
- Keep mould away: ventilate, and go easy on the heaters
Does a cleaner come to my house?
A cleaner may be provided at your property. Whether one comes, and how often, depends on the property and on how many people are living in it, and it can change while you live there. Ask us about your house and we'll confirm it in writing.
Where there is a cleaner, the dates are approximate. A day either side of the planned visit is normal.
A cleaner is never a housekeeper. Bedrooms and deep cleaning are never included, and nobody is coming to do your dishes.
The cleaning obligations that form part of your agreement are in the House Rules.
Whatever your property gets, the house is kept liveable by the people in it. Wash what you used, wipe what you splashed, and take your things back to your room. No cleaner can rescue a kitchen that the house has stopped looking after.
Dishes, bins, spills and your own mess are on the house between visits. An occasional clean cannot rescue a kitchen left dirty between visits. Bedrooms are always your own responsibility.
Think a clean was missed?
Send us your property address through the maintenance form or at hello@cdacoliving.com. We'll check what your property is set up for, when the last clean happened and when the next one is due, then come back to you.
Room Transfers & Relocations
Want a different room, house or city? We'll help you find a better fit, across Sydney and other states.
What to include in your transfer request
- Your preferred budget
- Preferred areas or suburbs
- Desired move date
- Whether you're moving with a partner (not all rooms allow two occupants; an additional cost applies)
- Level of urgency
Send it to hello@cdacoliving.com or WhatsApp +61 410 069 034.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I inspect a room before committing? | Yes, in person, virtually or on a video call. |
| Why is a room I was shown no longer available? | Rooms go fast. A room is only confirmed once payment is received. Interest alone doesn't hold it. |
| Can I transfer to another CDA property? | Yes, in Sydney and in other states. Send your request with the details above. |
| Can two people share a room? | Not all rooms allow it. Always confirm with the team first; an additional charge applies. |
Temporary relocation for maintenance works
- We give you as much notice as we can, although urgent maintenance may mean less
- CDA works with you to find a suitable alternative room or property in our network
- The goal is minimal disruption, and you'll have a place to stay throughout
For occupancy needs, repairs, or to head off difficulties between occupants. Always to the same room type and no lesser standard, with 2 weeks' notice.
Living Well Together
Ten habits that turn a house of strangers into somewhere you actually want to come home to.
1Share the load
Cooking, bins, the vacuum, the odd shared shop. A house runs on small jobs nobody assigned. Picking one up before you're asked is the single habit that makes a share house feel easy rather than tense.
2Agree the ground rules early
CDA sends you a suggested cleaning roster, but the details are yours to settle: who uses the kitchen when, how the fridge is divided, what happens to dishes left in the sink. Sort it in the first week, while it's still a conversation and not a complaint.
3Say it early, say it directly
Most house conflicts are not about the dishes. They are about three weeks of unmentioned dishes. Raise things while they're small and specific. If you need something, ask; if something's bothering you, say so before it becomes a mood.
4Come in with an open mind
You'll be living with people from places, jobs and routines nothing like yours. That's the part residents tell us they remember. Ask about the food someone is cooking, or the trip they are saving for. Curiosity travels a long way in a share house.
5Make your room yours
Shared living works best when you have somewhere to retreat to. Set your room up the way you actually want it. Nobody expects you to be sociable on a day you'd rather close the door.
6Show up sometimes
You don't have to be at everything. But saying yes to the occasional shared dinner or Sunday coffee is how a group of strangers turns into housemates, and it's a lot easier to ask a favour of someone you've eaten with.
7Treat the house like someone lives there, because they do
Headphones after 10 PM. Guests out by 10 PM. No cleaning between 10 PM and 8 AM. Beyond the rules, it's simple: assume someone is sleeping, working or on a call on the other side of the wall, because they usually are.
8The kitchen is the heart of it
It's where a share house is won or lost. Clean as you go, wash up straight after eating, keep your shelf to your shelf. Then use it properly. Swap recipes, cook for the house once, eat together when you can.
9Bring the good mood
Small things carry: saying hello properly, noticing when someone's had a rough week, taking the bins out because it's Tuesday. A house takes on the temperature of the people in it.
10Fix disagreements, don't collect them
Disagreements happen in every share house. Talk to the person first, hear their side, and aim for something that works for the house rather than a winner. If it can't be sorted between you, contact us. If you ever feel unsafe, call the police straight away.
Try talking to your housemates first, because most of it gets solved there. If it doesn't, email hello@cdacoliving.com and we'll help. If the fit is wrong, a is always an option.