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My partner owns a rental property in the Auckland City area. One of the tenants moved out in the weekend (with our prior knowledge).
Today she received an email and a very aggressive telephone call from a person in the ACC environments office, part of which reads:
I am emailing to you with an urgent request:
Your tenants have recently moved out of your property xxx Avenue and dumped lots of unwanted furniture and items in black bags and boxes just outside on the public grass verge. A $400 fine and extra costs for removal of the rubbish applies to the offenders. Evidence found in the illegally dumped rubbish pile and enquiries with neighbours confirm that the pile comes from these tenants. (photos attached)
Please contact me urgently in regards to solving this matter. As the landlord/landlady, we expect that you take responsibility for the actions of your tenants shifting goods off your private property onto public property.
Should you still be in possession of the bond, I recommend that you keep it until it is cleared or use the bond for clearing up by a professional company. Should the tenants themselves remove the pile, they have to provide evidence that they disposed of the rubbish in a lawful manner, eg receipt of transfer station for a trailer load etc."
This dumping was news to us, and I find the attitude of the ACC person appalling. In particular, I would dispute "As the landlord/landlady, we expect that you take responsibility for the actions of your tenants shifting goods off your private property onto public property." Why? The tenants are free white and over 21, they are responsible for their own actions.
Also "Should the tenants themselves remove the pile, they have to provide evidence that they disposed of the rubbish in a lawful manner" seems untrue. Under what statute do they have to?
Is this attitude from the Council normal, or is it - as I suspect - aggressive overkill. I am trying to calm down before I go in and attack them myself.
Today she received an email and a very aggressive telephone call from a person in the ACC environments office, part of which reads:
I am emailing to you with an urgent request:
Your tenants have recently moved out of your property xxx Avenue and dumped lots of unwanted furniture and items in black bags and boxes just outside on the public grass verge. A $400 fine and extra costs for removal of the rubbish applies to the offenders. Evidence found in the illegally dumped rubbish pile and enquiries with neighbours confirm that the pile comes from these tenants. (photos attached)
Please contact me urgently in regards to solving this matter. As the landlord/landlady, we expect that you take responsibility for the actions of your tenants shifting goods off your private property onto public property.
Should you still be in possession of the bond, I recommend that you keep it until it is cleared or use the bond for clearing up by a professional company. Should the tenants themselves remove the pile, they have to provide evidence that they disposed of the rubbish in a lawful manner, eg receipt of transfer station for a trailer load etc."
This dumping was news to us, and I find the attitude of the ACC person appalling. In particular, I would dispute "As the landlord/landlady, we expect that you take responsibility for the actions of your tenants shifting goods off your private property onto public property." Why? The tenants are free white and over 21, they are responsible for their own actions.
Also "Should the tenants themselves remove the pile, they have to provide evidence that they disposed of the rubbish in a lawful manner" seems untrue. Under what statute do they have to?
Is this attitude from the Council normal, or is it - as I suspect - aggressive overkill. I am trying to calm down before I go in and attack them myself.
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