Home/Living at CDA

Living at CDA

Maintenance, rent, utilities, sharing the house and transfers — your day-to-day, sorted.

In this guide

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:

Or by email: hello@cdacoliving.com. For urgent issues call (02) 8188 1605 — Option 3 (calling for non-urgent repairs incurs a call-out fee).

Even if a repair isn't completed yet, never stop paying rent — withholding rent puts you in breach of your agreement.

Real emergencies — call 000

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 · faulty smoke alarm · 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

Response times are set in line with NSW Fair Trading guidelines. Requests outside office hours (Mon–Fri, 9–5) are attended the next business day.

What's on you

Minor maintenance: replacing light bulbs, cleaning windows, dusting, removing cobwebs
Damage you cause — the repair cost is charged to you
Reporting issues promptly, including mould as soon as you notice it

Rent & Payments

How rent works — and what to do when billing 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 — recent payments may not appear immediately
Paid from a different account than usual? The payment may not be matched automatically — contact us

Late rent

If rent isn't received within 3 days of the due date and you haven't notified hello@cdacoliving.com, a $25 late fee applies. After 7 days a one-week termination notice may be issued. Consistent late payments will 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	May be proportional rent adjustment, partial days, or a billing correction — ask 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	Send proof of transfer to hello@cdacoliving.com so we can match it.

The deposit is never the last rent payment

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 & Fair Consumption

Electricity, gas and water are included — subject to fair use.

The Fair Consumption Policy

The property's baseline is the average daily usage (kWh) from supplier invoices for the same period over the previous 12 months
If a billing period exceeds the baseline by more than 10%, the cost of the excess may be shared among occupants
CDA always provides the supplier invoice and the calculation of any charge
If an undeclared high-consumption appliance is found in a room (with notice, per your agreement), the excess is attributed to that occupant based on the appliance's rated consumption — costs are allocated fairly, not split equally

Unauthorised appliances = you pay the excess

Excess consumption from unauthorised portable A/Cs, heaters, fridges or unapproved use of in-house A/C makes the responsible occupant solely liable for the additional costs. Only pedestal fans and oil-column heaters are permitted — see the House Rules.

Wi-Fi

Included for communication, work and study. CDA isn't the internet provider, so no warranty on speed or coverage — fixes may need coordination with an external provider. Console gaming is secondary and may be restricted if the house experiences slow speeds.

Sharing the House

Cleaning, housemate conflicts and how we communicate.

What CDA may provide

General cleaning of common areas (where included at your property)
Scheduled routine cleaning — frequency varies by property

Not available at all houses, 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
Prevent mould — ventilate, don't overuse heaters

Set up a cleaning roster with your housemates

If an inspection finds the house in poor condition and it isn't fixed within 24 hours, a $170 cleaning fee is split among occupants.

Housemate conflicts

Try to resolve personal disputes among yourselves first — CDA intervenes when necessary, typically where house rules are violated. If you ever feel your safety or wellbeing is in danger, call the police immediately.

Communication channels

WhatsApp "Andy" — CDA's official corporate account for announcements and house info
Maintenance — always via the form or email, so it's documented and tracked
Move-out notice — 4 weeks in advance, in writing (see the Move-Out Guide)

Reduced operations: 15 December – 14 January

No in-person move-out inspections happen during the shutdown — final inspections, deposit settlement and refunds may be delayed until after 14 January. We recommend not scheduling move-outs between these dates.

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 via 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 — Sydney and 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

You'll always get enough advance notice to organise your move comfortably
CDA works with you to find a suitable alternative room or property in our network
The goal is minimal disruption — you'll have a place to stay throughout

CDA may also relocate occupants when needed

For occupancy needs, repairs or to avoid difficulties among occupants — always to the same room type and no lesser standard, with 2 weeks' notice.

Next guide

Move-Out Guide — notice, cleaning & deposit

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