Well folks, this is just a lesson how to keep in touch and in control of ones tenancies.
I've had a tenant in a property coming up to two years. House has always been immaculate, we've had the odd late rent payment but nothing much to worry about.
On my last inspection four months ago, I noticed leaking on the floor in the laundry/bathroom wall, where the shower pipes were. Given that the dwelling is an ex-state house approx 50 years old, I pulled off the gib and fixed shower. Easy. House was in very tidy, clean condition.
Three weeks ago, I did another inspection. I could not believe the difference in the property. The lawns were two feet long - I kid you not!!, 5-6 large rubbish bags sitting outside, overflowing rubbish bin inside with consequential flies buzzing around, carpet in hall from laundry, past bathroom/toilet was soaking, table and chairs missing from kitchen, beds missing from bedrooms, empty bedroom, bags of clothes (all indicators that she's ready to move), car parts were now being stored under the house and that old fridge was now out in the shed (along with many spare tyres). AFAIK no boyfriend had moved in. Weird.
She'd either had a flood in the laundry which had gone all the way down the hallway (not likely as washing machine has pipe to underneath laundry basin), she's over filled the bath several times (more likely) or she'd been practicing the Olympics in the bath.
The tenant said the shower mixer etc was still leaking. Well, my plumber couldn't find any leak. The thing that I find irritating is that the tenant didn't ring me to advise that she thought that the shower was leaking again or didn't "fess up" to having a flood. Either would've been acceptable. Ya know - just man up.
Luckily (!?) the floors are matai and not chipboard or I'd been fixing floors and joists.
I gave the tenant a friendly reminder to move offensive rubbish and get lawns mowed.
The next day when I turned up to fix bathroom there was a guy weed-eating the lawns (the motor mower couldn't handle the length of the lawns) and the rubbish was being sorted.
A bit of investigation showed that the tenant was getting behind with bills and had several overdue notices.
In discussion with the tenant, she said she was "Thinking about moving to Australia in January with her children and she'd give me two weeks notice in January". "Ah no" I said "you're required to give three weeks written notice and allow 2-3 days for mail delivery". The tenant said "no, I don't have to do that".
I told her she could ring Tenancy Services and find out what her obligations were. She was more than welcome to give two weeks notice and move out but I'll be taking a weeks rent from her Bond along with any costs for rubbish removal and cleaning. You should've seen the look on her face - talk about nasty.
Unfortunately I can't PROVE that the tenant has done the damage (deliberate or otherwise), and it MAY have been a legitimate over flow of the bath. If I went to TS, I doubt they'd rule in my favour.
I always make sure I do the inspections every three months and this is the only time when a property has gone down hill so fast.
A very salutory lesson on how quickly a very good tenancy can go bad.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS complete three monthly inspection. Six monthly intervals are way too long and too much damage can be done in between inspections.
I've had a tenant in a property coming up to two years. House has always been immaculate, we've had the odd late rent payment but nothing much to worry about.
On my last inspection four months ago, I noticed leaking on the floor in the laundry/bathroom wall, where the shower pipes were. Given that the dwelling is an ex-state house approx 50 years old, I pulled off the gib and fixed shower. Easy. House was in very tidy, clean condition.
Three weeks ago, I did another inspection. I could not believe the difference in the property. The lawns were two feet long - I kid you not!!, 5-6 large rubbish bags sitting outside, overflowing rubbish bin inside with consequential flies buzzing around, carpet in hall from laundry, past bathroom/toilet was soaking, table and chairs missing from kitchen, beds missing from bedrooms, empty bedroom, bags of clothes (all indicators that she's ready to move), car parts were now being stored under the house and that old fridge was now out in the shed (along with many spare tyres). AFAIK no boyfriend had moved in. Weird.
She'd either had a flood in the laundry which had gone all the way down the hallway (not likely as washing machine has pipe to underneath laundry basin), she's over filled the bath several times (more likely) or she'd been practicing the Olympics in the bath.
The tenant said the shower mixer etc was still leaking. Well, my plumber couldn't find any leak. The thing that I find irritating is that the tenant didn't ring me to advise that she thought that the shower was leaking again or didn't "fess up" to having a flood. Either would've been acceptable. Ya know - just man up.
Luckily (!?) the floors are matai and not chipboard or I'd been fixing floors and joists.
I gave the tenant a friendly reminder to move offensive rubbish and get lawns mowed.
The next day when I turned up to fix bathroom there was a guy weed-eating the lawns (the motor mower couldn't handle the length of the lawns) and the rubbish was being sorted.
A bit of investigation showed that the tenant was getting behind with bills and had several overdue notices.
In discussion with the tenant, she said she was "Thinking about moving to Australia in January with her children and she'd give me two weeks notice in January". "Ah no" I said "you're required to give three weeks written notice and allow 2-3 days for mail delivery". The tenant said "no, I don't have to do that".
I told her she could ring Tenancy Services and find out what her obligations were. She was more than welcome to give two weeks notice and move out but I'll be taking a weeks rent from her Bond along with any costs for rubbish removal and cleaning. You should've seen the look on her face - talk about nasty.
Unfortunately I can't PROVE that the tenant has done the damage (deliberate or otherwise), and it MAY have been a legitimate over flow of the bath. If I went to TS, I doubt they'd rule in my favour.
I always make sure I do the inspections every three months and this is the only time when a property has gone down hill so fast.
A very salutory lesson on how quickly a very good tenancy can go bad.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS complete three monthly inspection. Six monthly intervals are way too long and too much damage can be done in between inspections.
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