Advise needed - Tenant says its too hot in summer

Z

zayne

Hi all,

I recieved my property inspection report yesterday from my PM which had a note stating that the tenant said it is too hot in summer. It just wondering what options I have to tackle this:

1) Install evaporative cooling throughout the house (most expensive option) and charge extra rent for it. $20pw extra perhaps? Is this too much? Can this be done in the middle of a rental agreement. The lease is not up till November.
2) Install a unit in just the main lounge area (not as expensive) and charge extra rent for it. $10pw extra perhaps? Again, can this be done in the middle of a rental agreement. The lease is not up till November.
3) Put up a sun sail over the paved area where most of the heat would be coming in from
4) Put up some external bamboo blinds on the main windows where the arvo sun is coming in from
5) Do nothing as technically the tenant hasnt directly complained to the PM. It was jsut a comment on the quarterly inspection report.
6) Any other suggestions?

With summer being pretty much over now, what would you all do in this situation?
 
I would do nothing. If the tenant asks for something like air-con I would negotiate a rent rise in exchange. Not sure how you do this in the middle of a lease, but your agent should be able to tell you.
 
Speak to your PM. If they feel that adding cooling will generate some extra rental $, then it probably makes sense to do it, and do it properly.

If you wait until Winter is upon us, you'll probably be able to do a good deal with a manufacturer, and have it installed in time for the rent review and subsequent summer period.
 
Dave Hooper said:
Speak to your PM. If they feel that adding cooling will generate some extra rental $, then it probably makes sense to do it, and do it properly.

If you wait until Winter is upon us, you'll probably be able to do a good deal with a manufacturer, and have it installed in time for the rent review and subsequent summer period.
Click to expand...

Agree with Dave.
Since Winter is upon us...you will have good couple of months to install the Evaporative Cooling and i believe will be able to raise the rent accordingly :)
 
I would just throw a split system into the main living area. No need for ducted throughout and sails etc.

I'd wait until later in the year when summer comes back around - unless there is no heater, in which case you can put the split system in earlier to provide heat.
 
I'd throw in a wall mounted heat-pump type unit in the main living area and an awning or blind on the window catching the afternoon sun, and bump the rent up 10 bucks a week. The aircon will need to last a year for every $500you spend on getting it installed. Point out to the PM and tenant that the heat pump style unit will also provide heating in winter, and they work pretty efficiently.
 
Dazzling said:
Send 50c over to the tenant (tax deductable) with a note saying "Call someone who gives a rats."
Click to expand...
Or maybe take that 50c and go down to your local $2 shout shop and buy a cheap chinese paper fan. Send that over to them and say: compliments of the landlord...

;)
Michael
 
go to your local second hand bookshop, and buy one of the zillions of diet books for sale for 50c.....

send that to em telling em if they lose weight they won't feel the heat so much.......
 
Dazzling said:
Send 50c over to the tenant (tax deductable) with a note saying "Call someone who gives a rats."
Click to expand...

This had me in stitches for ages - love it! You are such a b*@tard Dazz :)

Then again I was thinking 50c - I get calls for 25c - maybe you are being overly generous. They could make 2 calls for that!

CYA
Aimjoy
 
Qlds007 said:
Tell tenant not to move to Brissie then.
Click to expand...
Gosh...they wouldn't want to move to Cairns then! :rolleyes:

I grew up in Melbourne, and when it was v hot, Mum used to fill the hot water bottle with iced water, for our feet. Worked for us! Maybe they'd like an icy hot water bottle?:cool:
 
You don't need to do anything. The tenant rented the house as is. There are plenty of things he / she can do that will add to her comfort.

However, if you do wish to do something, some option you did not mention are:

a) Roof insulation - $1000 for pink bats on our single story 4bedroom house significantly increased comfort in both summer and winter. If I was renting our current house the discomfort without insulation would probably have been enough to make me seek alternative residence at the end of the lease.

b) 100% block out blinds - they are very cheap from spotlight (less than $100 for a 180cm window from memory) and made a huge impact on keeping the house cooler this summer. We have only used the AC about 5 or 6 times this season and that was because my wife was pregant and feeling the heat more.

Neither of the above options are likely to increase your rent (unless your current window dressings look bad). They will probably reduce tenant turnover if temperature extremes are a genuine problem in your IP. Is it a genuine problem (enough to cost you $) or is it a tenant trying to get something for nothing ........?
 
I'm hot too, only problem is I own the place and I have to fork out some hard earned to do something about it. It's easy to make demands when you aren't footing the bill.
 
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