I've been privately renting this property that I am currently in for just over 4 years, up until the beginning of July this year when the 5 of the 7 houses that my landlord owned was sold. I am now under a real estate agent ( the purchaser is an overseas investor, residing in Australia).
(I have an immaculate payment of rent history and have a great reference from my previous landlord)
1) I never signed a new tenancy as I couldn't read the Property Managers writing... and it was never persued for me to sign it. I had to request a copy of the property inspection report (finally had to go to the real estate myself to pick it up), and then it was wrong...the way she worded it looks like ALL the curtains belong to the house when in fact a lot of them are mine...(she did the inspection on her own while I was in the lounge) I have on several occasions asked the estate agent for an amended copy of the inspection report to no avail.
2) When I email one person at the real estate agent, I get a reply from someone else.
3) The gas heater in the lounge packed up and my children and I were without heat for a month during winter. I had to give the estate agent a 10 day notice to remedy that plus other things in the house that needed repairing. (I had previously both written AND emailed a list of repairs in order of importance and got no response) BUT got a response once the 10 day notice was issued. This list of repairs were finally done, but in reverse order..so the heating was fixed last....one day before the 10 day notice was due to expire.
4) This property manager has a thing for the garden and edges being done...and re-inspections are being done every 2-3 weeks requesting that these be done (DURING WINTER) and in the last few months we have had a lot of rain and/or wind. So I emailed her and told her that I wasn't prepared to do that in this sort of weather...that the council sprays around two sides of the property a few times during the summer period. And if I had done the fence edges and the gardens, I wouldn't be able to get warm being without any heating...and prob getting ill in the process.
6) I was supposed to have a re-inspection on the 14 September, but she never turned up. I wasn't informed of her change of plans either by email or phone call (I always make sure I am home when she turns up).
5) During a previous inspection I noticed the property managers car outside and I expected her to arrive at the door...next thing I know, she had disappeared. Later that day I had a visitor, then the manager arrived. I was talking to my visitor and the manager was including herself in our conversation... I was trying to juggle both my visitor and the manager....I emailed the owner of this estate agent that I wasn't very happy about this, only to get a reply from the property manager herself. saying:"2004/09/24 Fri PM 02:21:22 GMT+12:00
With reference to your email regarding the inspections, there are in fact
> > two sections of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 that apply to
> > inspections.
> >
> > Section 48 - The Landlord may enter the premises-
> > (b) For the purpose of inspecting the premises, at any time between 8
> > o'clock in the morning and 7 o'clock in the evening on the day specified in
> > a notice given to the tenant not less than 48 hours nor more than 14 days
> > before the intended entry, and not more frequently than once in any period
> > of four weeks.
> >
> > The notice you were given was for a reinspection for edges and gardens
> > only - the date of the notice I gave you was 22.9.04 that day to 5.10.04 is
> > in actual fact exactly 14 days.
> >
> > The second point being here that because I am checking only the gardens and
> > edges I do not have to enter the house - as a result Section 48 (7) applies (SHE ENTERED AS SHE WAS TALKING TO MY VISITOR!!)
> > which states: In this section premises does not include land or facilities.
> >
> > The other part of the Act that applies is Section 56
> > (b) (i) The applicant gave to the other party a notice specifying he nature
> > of the breach complained of and requiring the other party to remedy the (I WAS GIVEN A REINSPECTION NOTICE NOT A 10 DAY BREACH NOTICE...IT WAS RAINING AND WINDY BETWEEN INSPECTONS FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!)
> > breach within a reasonable period, being not less that 10 working days
> > commencing with the day on which the notice was given.
> >
> > The note I gave you was for the 5th October which is 10 working days - as a
> > result I will now do your reinspection on Wednesday 6th October 2004 between
> > the hours of 8o'clock in the morning and 7 o'clock in the evening.
> > (THE ESTATE HOURS ARE NORMAL WORKING HOURS)
> >
> > I would also point out that these have been reinspections for work you have
> > been asked to do - they are not full house inspections.
> >
> > A full inspection cannot be carried out more often than every 4 weeks.
> >
> > As far as talking to people at the house I make no apology for being
> > friendly. Some people find inspections quite intimidating and this helps.
> > I have a very good rapour with my tenants and will continue to be polite and
> > friendly.
> >
> > If you are not happy with having your home managed by Century 21 then you
> > have the option of finding a new house - this would of course require you to
> > give 21 days notice in writing.
> >
> > Have a nice weekend"
7) One the 1st October I arranged and paid for the lawns and edges to be done.
The last inspection date that I had notice of was the 6 October...now the manager usually arrives after 3pm...I was still waiting for her to arrive after 4pm. I was seeing a friend off at the gate with my daughter...and my daughter discovered an envelope in the letterbox; which was hand-delivered as there was no stamp. Upon opening the envelope, was a 90 notice...my family and I have to vacate the property by noon 5 January 2005.
I rang the Manager at the estate agent to ask WHY this 90 notice was issued, only to be told by her that she doesn't have to give a reason.
Now I would have thought that seeing that my family and I were tenants in this house for over 4 years (without any incident from my previous landlord) would count for something, but it appears I was wrong. I rang Tenacy Sevices and was told that I don't have to be given a reason.
So now I am currently in the middle of packing up...sorting out what to keep and what to throw out. ***the 90 day notice was NEVER signed***
9) On Friday 22 October, I recieved yet another inspection notice dated for the 28 October. Now I know she will mention (again) the gardens and edges ... as they have grown since the 1 October...but as I am in the middle of packing (which to me is THE priority), I just don't have the time at the moment to even think about the garden or the edges around the fence line.
I rang the owner of the estate agent 18 October and asked it the owner knows what is going on...and she reckons he does...
So what can I do now??? Any comments on all this drama???
(I have an immaculate payment of rent history and have a great reference from my previous landlord)
1) I never signed a new tenancy as I couldn't read the Property Managers writing... and it was never persued for me to sign it. I had to request a copy of the property inspection report (finally had to go to the real estate myself to pick it up), and then it was wrong...the way she worded it looks like ALL the curtains belong to the house when in fact a lot of them are mine...(she did the inspection on her own while I was in the lounge) I have on several occasions asked the estate agent for an amended copy of the inspection report to no avail.
2) When I email one person at the real estate agent, I get a reply from someone else.
3) The gas heater in the lounge packed up and my children and I were without heat for a month during winter. I had to give the estate agent a 10 day notice to remedy that plus other things in the house that needed repairing. (I had previously both written AND emailed a list of repairs in order of importance and got no response) BUT got a response once the 10 day notice was issued. This list of repairs were finally done, but in reverse order..so the heating was fixed last....one day before the 10 day notice was due to expire.
4) This property manager has a thing for the garden and edges being done...and re-inspections are being done every 2-3 weeks requesting that these be done (DURING WINTER) and in the last few months we have had a lot of rain and/or wind. So I emailed her and told her that I wasn't prepared to do that in this sort of weather...that the council sprays around two sides of the property a few times during the summer period. And if I had done the fence edges and the gardens, I wouldn't be able to get warm being without any heating...and prob getting ill in the process.
6) I was supposed to have a re-inspection on the 14 September, but she never turned up. I wasn't informed of her change of plans either by email or phone call (I always make sure I am home when she turns up).
5) During a previous inspection I noticed the property managers car outside and I expected her to arrive at the door...next thing I know, she had disappeared. Later that day I had a visitor, then the manager arrived. I was talking to my visitor and the manager was including herself in our conversation... I was trying to juggle both my visitor and the manager....I emailed the owner of this estate agent that I wasn't very happy about this, only to get a reply from the property manager herself. saying:"2004/09/24 Fri PM 02:21:22 GMT+12:00
With reference to your email regarding the inspections, there are in fact
> > two sections of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 that apply to
> > inspections.
> >
> > Section 48 - The Landlord may enter the premises-
> > (b) For the purpose of inspecting the premises, at any time between 8
> > o'clock in the morning and 7 o'clock in the evening on the day specified in
> > a notice given to the tenant not less than 48 hours nor more than 14 days
> > before the intended entry, and not more frequently than once in any period
> > of four weeks.
> >
> > The notice you were given was for a reinspection for edges and gardens
> > only - the date of the notice I gave you was 22.9.04 that day to 5.10.04 is
> > in actual fact exactly 14 days.
> >
> > The second point being here that because I am checking only the gardens and
> > edges I do not have to enter the house - as a result Section 48 (7) applies (SHE ENTERED AS SHE WAS TALKING TO MY VISITOR!!)
> > which states: In this section premises does not include land or facilities.
> >
> > The other part of the Act that applies is Section 56
> > (b) (i) The applicant gave to the other party a notice specifying he nature
> > of the breach complained of and requiring the other party to remedy the (I WAS GIVEN A REINSPECTION NOTICE NOT A 10 DAY BREACH NOTICE...IT WAS RAINING AND WINDY BETWEEN INSPECTONS FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!)
> > breach within a reasonable period, being not less that 10 working days
> > commencing with the day on which the notice was given.
> >
> > The note I gave you was for the 5th October which is 10 working days - as a
> > result I will now do your reinspection on Wednesday 6th October 2004 between
> > the hours of 8o'clock in the morning and 7 o'clock in the evening.
> > (THE ESTATE HOURS ARE NORMAL WORKING HOURS)
> >
> > I would also point out that these have been reinspections for work you have
> > been asked to do - they are not full house inspections.
> >
> > A full inspection cannot be carried out more often than every 4 weeks.
> >
> > As far as talking to people at the house I make no apology for being
> > friendly. Some people find inspections quite intimidating and this helps.
> > I have a very good rapour with my tenants and will continue to be polite and
> > friendly.
> >
> > If you are not happy with having your home managed by Century 21 then you
> > have the option of finding a new house - this would of course require you to
> > give 21 days notice in writing.
> >
> > Have a nice weekend"
7) One the 1st October I arranged and paid for the lawns and edges to be done.
The last inspection date that I had notice of was the 6 October...now the manager usually arrives after 3pm...I was still waiting for her to arrive after 4pm. I was seeing a friend off at the gate with my daughter...and my daughter discovered an envelope in the letterbox; which was hand-delivered as there was no stamp. Upon opening the envelope, was a 90 notice...my family and I have to vacate the property by noon 5 January 2005.
I rang the Manager at the estate agent to ask WHY this 90 notice was issued, only to be told by her that she doesn't have to give a reason.
Now I would have thought that seeing that my family and I were tenants in this house for over 4 years (without any incident from my previous landlord) would count for something, but it appears I was wrong. I rang Tenacy Sevices and was told that I don't have to be given a reason.
So now I am currently in the middle of packing up...sorting out what to keep and what to throw out. ***the 90 day notice was NEVER signed***
9) On Friday 22 October, I recieved yet another inspection notice dated for the 28 October. Now I know she will mention (again) the gardens and edges ... as they have grown since the 1 October...but as I am in the middle of packing (which to me is THE priority), I just don't have the time at the moment to even think about the garden or the edges around the fence line.
I rang the owner of the estate agent 18 October and asked it the owner knows what is going on...and she reckons he does...
So what can I do now??? Any comments on all this drama???
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