Air Conditioning Unit in rental 26 years old

Model AST14RNA-W - Manufactured 1994

This is our first hot summer in the property and our first attempt to use the unit to cool the house down.
Even on its coldest setting, the air coming out of the unit is room temperature at best.

What are my options? I am the tenant. Located in inner west of Sydney. The LL recently declined my request to replace a cracked window so I doubt they would acquiesce to a request to replace the unit but it's so far gone it's ridiculous.

 

Isn't it obvious? If it doesn't work, ask them to fix or replace it. You still need to do that even if you don't think they'll comply.

 

Maybe the unit just needs a service and re-gas, your property manager should be able to get approval for that I would think.

 

In NSW an air conditioner falls under urgent repairs so you need to give notice to the agent that it is faulty and if they don’t organize the repairs immediately you can organize your own repairs up to $1000 and then have them reimburse you

https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/...ing-a-tenancy/repairs,-maintenance-and-damage

 

Probably just requires a service as per @Mel Morgan.

Most units will struggle on a 35-40 Deg day.

 

What the hell is that noise? Is that coming from the comoressor or the 2 fans?

 

The servicing would be relatively easy.

The re-gassing might not... because it's an old system that would 99% have R22 as the refrigerant gas and not all air conditioning companies carry R22.

To re-gas the ducted system would require around 10-12kgs of R22, and as it is a refrigerant that is being phased out due to the effects on the ozone layer, climate change etc, the cost of R22 is rising all the time (last I saw it goes for around $250.00 ish per kg). This might not be a sensible thing to do considering the noise that thing is making and the likelihood of more repairs due to the old age of the unit.