Whinging Tenants

Baden

I didn't really explain that curtain rod well. LOL. I meant to say they wanted some curtains put in, heavy ones. I decided to put a rod up so they could wear the expense of the curtain. It was a win, win – I thought.

Whilst searching for a solution to various issues with the property we are tenanting, I came across this post.
I thought to myself, wow, this sounds exactly like the problems that we are having with our place.

Turns out… it is our place.

I fully understand about your concerns about having a "whinging tenant" as it does seem that we expect a few things to be rectified. But in our defence, the Property Manager told us the weekend before we moved in, that the landlords would be fixing all obvious issues with the house (broken taps, leaking toilets, excess leaves and rubbish around the property including  a car battery in the garden).
The day we signed the lease, the PM stated that the house hadn't been fully cleaned and that a cleaner had been arranged to finish the interior of cupboards and wipe down surfaces.
What wasn't included in the work order and should definitely have been addressed (and yes, it's going to be a long list)

*Windows and sills (which were absolutely filthy and had to be scrubbed out numerous times)
*Exhaust fans (which had a buildup of dust and grime)
*Aircon vents
*Skirting boards (which had to be washed of grime and flyspots everywhere)
*Oven (cleaning fulid left throughout the interior and needed to be cleaned again)
*Shower (mould and soap scum buildup)
*Walls were dirty from marks, spiderwebs, various liquids still stuck to the walls.
*Blinds (one of which has been taken down and stored in the shed due to it being in a disgusting condition – mouldy, tangled, stinking…)
*Severe flea infestation which required my daughter to be banished from going outside and in the main lougeroom for nearly two weeks. Along with other issues but which aren't useful to this post.
*Broken windows/ ripped flyscreens/no locks or even catches on some windows, no keys provided to others so locked closed (yes, some have now been fixed, thankyou to the owners.)

And the "slight discolouration on a section of the roof" is actually serious leaking (as experienced by the summer rain we had two days ago which flooded most of the patio area…. Mould around most of the eaves. Black spores in many panels as well, also there was water INSIDE a lightbulb which poses an electrical hazard IMO.

Most of these things have now been attended to by us, and should have been cleaned prior to us moving in. This is a condition of the Residential Tenancies Act (see below) , not just a "request by tenants".
It may seem like a trivial and nitpicking list, but it is by no means the extensive list we have compiled for our records, due to personal experience with previous property managers from an overseas investment property I owned that was completely destroyed by tenants, and nearly 50 thousand dollars later…

But the pictures taken speak louder than words. And due to never being provided with a property condition report even after numerous requests from us, I'm glad we took as many as we could.

Baden, if you wish to end our lease early, or if you wish to discuss this further, please contact the property manager (if you can, she is nearly always on leave, or out of the office), as it seems we are both unhappy with the current situation.

RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES ACT 1987 – SECT 42

42 .         Owner’s responsibility for cleanliness and repairs

        (1)         It is a term of every agreement that the owner — 

            (a)         shall provide the premises in a reasonable state of cleanliness;

            (b)         shall provide and maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair having regard to their age, character and prospective life; and

            (c)         shall comply with all requirements in respect of buildings, health and safety under any other written law in so far as they apply to the premises

Thanks for your time.

Lol, and my username is not a dig at the "tenants from hell" comment, it's a username I've had for years, just thought I'd clarify that before anyone thought I was being a cheeky bugger

Agree with DWolfe “Work Smart, Not Hard”.

This is an opportunity for Heavenly and Baden, you’ve both crossed paths on this website.

An opportunity to get to the bottom of the issues and resolve sort them out. Although unorthodox perhaps don’t include the PM on sorting things out, as perhaps the PM is causing the wires to be crossed and the resultant problems and misunderstandings (in which case get a new PM).

Once the issues are sorted, Heavenly will be a happy and hopefully long-term tenant, and Baden you’ll be a happy landlord.

Also – I think a good PM will manage the books so that you still get a cut from the weekly rent each week into your bank account, even if there are a lot of bills to be paid.

Best regards : )