How would you handle this – x tenant turned a/h and has now bougt across the road – spread rumors ect !

Hi matie

If they have no money there is no point billing them for the damages – and it does not sound like they are the kind of people that would pay up anyway.

Did you have landlord insurance with your home insurer?  If so, you'd be able to get some money back for lost rent, and some of the damage.  Other than that, you'll have to pay for the repairs yourself and write the whole affair off as a loss.  You would then get some of the lost money back as a tax refund at the end of the financial year.  I believe that losses can be carried forward – some of the other contributors might be able to comment on this.  If this is so, while the damages will hurt you this year, you ought to get a bit back in the next year or two on your tax return.

My heart really goes out to you.  The trickiest part is handling your local community.  Time will show them the true situation.  If these people are indeed accustomed to living like pigs, they will surely live like pigs in the house they've bought, and the neighbours won't take long to come to dislike them.  It is then that it might cross their minds that maybe you were not the bad guy.  At the end of the day, if you do not live in this town, then while it sounds awful, it is probably no big disaster if you haven't got friends there.  The difficult part is simply whether you will have problems selling the place.  I guess in that regard, a couple of options might be to use an agent out of town, and ask that they do not put a sign at the front of the house, but instead use internet advertising and so on.  That way it is less likely the townfolk will be aware the place is up for sale and therefore cause grief for you.  I have heard of people selling property on eBay as well!  Not sure if it is a good idea – I'm just aware that it goes on.

I'd strongly advise landlord insurance, and hiring a property manager to deal with your tenants in the future.  It ends up costing less than trying to deal with things yourself.  It also shields you from having to be up close and personal, seeing the disrespectful things that tenants do to your house.  It makes the whole transaction mere numbers on paper, which is probably the best way of dealing with it.  People probably won't treat your house as you would like them to, so it's best to be a bit removed from the situation.

Mister, My parents own an investment house in a country town that has been trashed. I am going there in January to help them repair the inside of the house. It is disheartening. You are better to increase the rent each year than be soft as that is how I got left with a house full of rubbish when one of my Tenants did a runner and the insurance doesn't cover all the costs.
Really feel for your situation and hope it doesn't turn you off as not every tenant is like that.

You could take them to the residential tenancy tribunal for the damages they have done. You can get a court order that they pay you money. You can then get further orders to garnish wages, bank accounts or seize property. You don't have to do it straight away but have up to 12 years to enforce the order. I have one on a tenant and have been waiting 5 years now – but I can't really be bothered anymore.

Mister,
I sympathise with your situation. I have been through it twice.

The first time I didnt use a leasing agent. I collected the rent myself and did a lot of work and believed the hard luck stories. Arrived one day to find the house trashed and windows broken. I was never able to reclaim costs.
The second time, different house, I used a leasing agent. I went for a house inspection after 1 year and found the place in a real mess. This time the agent went to tribuneral and regained some costs for damage. 

I never recovered all my money but used this as a learning experience. I now have landlords insurance, keep in regular contact with the leasing agent and conduct regular inspections. It doesn't guarantee a problem free tenancy but helps control things before they get out of hand.

I use AAMI, though they have a similar excess.

Yes Dickster, claim against them – that is what you are paying them to do, to look after your interests.

Hey mister,

I got a couple of ideas for your situation

a weeks or 2 free rent to get a new tenant in,

try going into the local pub shout a round of drinks and tell your story so you can clear the air with the locals in the town and win them over to your side..

all the best

Hi Mister

You might also consider employing a property manager in the future – it'll cost you all in all about 12% of your rental return.  They'd handle rent collection, inspections, chasing tenants for unpaid rent, submitting relevant eviction notices where necessary etc.  That sort of thing.  Saves you from finding yourself in a position of dealing face to face with tenants and having to be the bad guy asking for the cash and feeling mean.  That said, you'd still need to keep an eye on your place too.  Not all property managers are awesome.