Does anyone has any advice as to who to contact regardin an incompetent 'property manager' who did not know that my tenant had done a runner until i contacted the agency for the fourth time to complain about unpaid water rates.
Then discovered that the house has been trashed. They then announced that they were no longer going to be doing 'property managing'. I now have engaged new agents, but the first agency said they would organise for the house to be cleaned up. It is not habitable as it is, nearly three months still has not been cleaned up and of course i have not had any rental income in this time. Can i make a claim through the office of fair trading or similar?
i do have landlord insurance, however, as you may know they class a mess as 'poor housekeeping' no matter how disgusting a condition it is left in and the tenant was on a week to week lease not fixed lease.
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Sonyasal,
That is horrendous!
Can your solicitor draft you up something to put the fear of god into them? Other than that can you take it to small claims court or what ever the VCAT equivalent is in your state? Have you also made sure the bond is still there and not back with the tenant? Good luck with this.
Sorry this had to happen to you, people are pigs – the ones who don't do their jobs too.
D
DWolfe | www.homestagers.com.au
http://www.homestagers.com.au
Email MeDoes your land lords insurance cover a non fixed lease week by week situation
No,
Landlords insurance does not cover week to week leases. The previous property manager was next to useless and when she left or was fired the RE agency could not secure a new PM, so as a result tenant was not followed up for unpaid lease or unpaid water and as i said they only realised she had gone when i complained about unpaid bills.The thing that really irks me is that she supposedly had good references from previous RE in another town. Also it is obvious that no property inspections had been carried out in a very long time. When i bought the house it was newly spruced up. previous tenant casused some smoke damage that was covered by insurace, so new kitchen appliances and new ceilings and fresh coat of paint in living areas. Then this tenant moves in and leaves a disgusting mess.
I have asked for the bond to be paid back to me, that is also supposed to have been attended to, but i have not received any payments as yet. New agency appear to be much better at property management, i had been looking for a new RE for a while but had not had any luck finidng one, wish i had changed over sooner. Rather difficult when done from a distance.
thank goodness my other properties are managed by excellent managers otherwise i think i would be one of those people who say real estate is a waste of time.
sonyasal,
Are you saying that your insurer is refusing to pay only lost rent (since the tenant was on a week to week lease)? Or are you saying that since the tenant was not on a fixed lease, they are also refusing to pay out on damage to the property? My understanding is that damages would be paid out, but not lost rent. It is considered that the retained bond money would cover the lost rent. ps who is your insurer?
Jacqui Middleton | Middleton Buyers Advocates
http://www.middletonbuyersadvocates.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeVIC Buyers' Agents for investors, home buyers & SMSFs.
I would pay to get the place sorted out and get a tenant in, then worry about chasing the money. You need to take control of the situation and not sit around just waiting for it to happen.
Tools
I have spoken with the new property manager this morning and she has taken the owner of the previous RE to the house this morning and told him that it needs to be cleaned up ASAP at the RE's cost. This should be done this week. Also she has advised me to speak with the previous RE to organise for them to lodge a claim with the tribunal to attempt to recoup losses.
this type of experience makes a 1st time investor like me, rethink about investing at all.
tennants seem to have the upper hand.Guess a person can talk themselves out of anything if they want too
For every horror story there are good stories.
D
DWolfe | www.homestagers.com.au
http://www.homestagers.com.au
Email Me07gabster,
I have invested in property for just on 20 years and this is the first experience like this that i have ever had. All of my other properties have been easy and hassle free to rent. The first proprty that i bought i paid for in full in 18 months. So i have just been unfortunate to have an incompetent PM who had no idea and did not follow up on my contact or meet their contractual obligation to manage my property effectively.
i will continue to invest in property as it is my superanuation and future for myself and my three children
Very interested to hear how this all goes for you in the end. In particular
– what the Insurer pays (and doesnt), including reasons why not
– what is recouped from previous RE PM (and how)
– bond situationAgree with Tools comment, although i know it is easy to say as a bystander and not so easy to do when you are caught up in the middle of it all. Hope it works out well for you in the end.
Makes me think i need to read my Landlords insurance clauses though.
i will keep you updated regrading everything to do with my property
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