Are we liable for the tenant's curtains?

[BoatBoy]

I'm usualy 700klm away from my Ip's in the future i'll be 8000klm away, so I cant rush out to change a tap washer or fix a leaky toilet, but I can organize tradies as can my PM.

It is up to you to decide if you want to be there for the fun or not.

And ah, I have rented for many a year previously, and this is how it's always worked.

Dave

 

[Pushka]

Sorry, but raw sewerage flooding over a floor isnt just a leaky tap! Please dont minimise the issues I have outlined by reducing them to something that is irrelevant like a leaky tap!

I work in customer service, something that is sorely lacking these days!

 

[BoatBoy]

I also said leaky toilet, and it wouldnt matter if the roof blew off, I would still organize tradies and let my PM and insurance if applicable sort it out.

As a matter of interest Pushka, what will you be doing for your tennants in a similar situation.

Dave

 

[skater]

Pushka, I don't really see what the problem is. Whether it is raw sewerage or a leaky tap, you WANT to be there for your own reasons. I am sure the landlord or the PM would be more than happy to arrange things so you don't have to be there. Problem is that you want the Tradie supervised by yourself. This is not the landlords fault.

 

[Pushka]

Dave, while investing in property is a business as you say, I see no reason why we cant treat the tenant as a customer, and if things go wrong with a product that I have supplied (ie the house/flat) then I must rectify it. Is it my fault that things go worng? Of course not, but the manner in which I rectify the problem is completely within my control. That is what we do in our business. I am not in for the fun of it, but at the same time I would like to treat people as the way I would expect to be treated.

My former landlord treated the fairly significant issues we experienced as a nuisance; showed me no consideration in getting things fixed, in fact, the opposite. (I also learnt later that she didnt pay the tradies for more than 3 months and they refused to fix up another issue later on!)

If the tenants had a serious problem, say a sewerage leak as opposed to a leaky toilet, then I would make sure that they hadnt suffered any personal loss (eg sewerage had damaged their property etc). I would give them options as to how they wanted the problem fixed - ie if they were able to take time from work or if they needed to make other arrangements (eg have a PM present or similar) One thing I would not do is assume that they could simply rearrange their lives to accommodate repairs to my property!

A leaky tap - well, like you I couldnt care less! But that was never my discussion!

One thing that totally riled me was my landlords assumption that I could just drop everything and be at home to let the tradies in! She said she couldnt just give them the key because she didnt trust them with HER property! And she wasnt prepared to be there for the repairs?

Do I really have choice for the repairs to be fixed? I had no choice as the toilet is in the same bathroom as the shower, which had no recess which meant that the effluent could seep into the shower area. Well, I guess I did have a choice - I needn't have a shower for the next six months!

I see a more personal side to being a landlord; I take it as a personal value to at least be considerate of their issues, but like you, would not tolerate trivial complaints.

 

[Pushka]

Pushka, I don't really see what the problem is. Whether it is raw sewerage or a leaky tap, you WANT to be there for your own reasons. I am sure the landlord or the PM would be more than happy to arrange things so you don't have to be there. Problem is that you want the Tradie supervised by yourself. This is not the landlords fault.

Well, that is my whole point. The Landlord said she was too busy to be there; she self managed so there was no PM, and as the toilet flows into the only shower area, well, what is the choice?

I would have thought it was fantastic if she had said she would be there to supervise the tradies - but she refused! Or if she had appointed a PM. But nada!

 

[BoatBoy]

So you have a crap landlord obviously ,

I on the otherhand would have a tradie there ASAP for the toilet, the tap can wait in line until it's worth MY while sending a tradie out. eg: in one of ours now we have a shower tap problem and dodgy laundry tap's, so worth the call out fee as he has an hours work.

But again, don't expect me to appear on site and hold hand's, sure sorry it happened, but not really something I can control. As they say 5hit happens.

Obviously if the tenant can be there great, but if they can't be there and refuse to let a tradie in, then they are holding things up, not me.

Sorry couldnt get a third bit of toilet humour in, thought it might leave a "Bad Taste" in your mouth . (there you go).

Dave

 

[Pushka]

You know, I even did a google to see if I could find some toilet jokes to match up with all your toilet humour jokes but all for naught! All I ended up with was popups that were not the kind that could go on this forum!

Yep, crappy as you say! But made me determined to not treat others like that!

(The earlier post was deleted coz I sent it before I had finished it!)

 

[BoatBoy]

Those crazy Japanese, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMhf2azGW90

The last ones a crack er

Dave

 

[GoAnna!]

Well, that is my whole point. The Landlord said she was too busy to be there; she self managed so there was no PM, and as the toilet flows into the only shower area, well, what is the choice?

I would have thought it was fantastic if she had said she would be there to supervise the tradies - but she refused! Or if she had appointed a PM. But nada!

So Pushka are you saying that if you had not elected to stay home then the work would not have been done and you would have been the one who suffered not the landlord?

So you were staying home to let the tradies in rather than supervising them and protecting your stuff?

 

[Pushka]

Both GoAnna!

If I had not been at home, they could not have got into the house, in which case I would have suffered because I no longer had the toilet. BUT I have a signed contract with the landlord which implies, by its existence, that I rented a house with toilet and that is no longer working! Breach of contract maybe?

I do leave tradies at home 'alone' once I have got to know them or the company from which they come; in this case the Landlord used her own tradies which is OK, obviously, so I didnt know who they were or if they were 'trustworthy' until I had met and talked with them.

It raises an interesting issue for me though - at what point though, are landlords accountable for providing a 'fit' place to live in according to the contract? For instance, does liability for having to fix major sewerage issues, or those situations involving health and safety issues (eg the non functional fire alarm; the louvre glass about to fall) include being on site (or a representative being on site) for the repairs to be done?

And does lack of attention to serious health/safety situations once being raised with them, constitute negligence on their behalf?

Does the existence of a rental contract for a house also imply that all normal household amenities (shower/toilet etc) are functional, and if they are not functional, is there a breach of contract? Breach of duty? I am not saying it should be, but things seem to be this litigious these days.

 

[Pushka]

Those crazy Japanese, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMhf2azGW90

The last ones a crack er

Dave

Oh my god, I will never go 'public' again!

 

[sailor]

Oh my god, I will never go 'public' again!

Me either. The Japanese have a weird sense of humour!

Thanks everyone for the advice on the damp curtains. I've advised the PM to tell the tenants to consult their contents insurers. We will see what transpires next.