Fish tanks?

[Strannik]

Was looking at my fish tank and it got me thinking.

As far as i'm aware there is nothing to stop tenant from leaving a container filled with water anywhere inside the house for any period of time, right?

But once a tenant puts fish in there, all of a sudden it's considered pets, and needs a permission from the owner.

Seems kinda wierd to me.

 

[MultoGrande]

It'd be a pretty harsh landlord that didn't allow fish.

 

[Bombtrack]

Fish may seem harmless, however the weight of the tanks should be considered. Anything over 4ft and you need to consider re-enforcing your floor.

Most landlords miss that one.

 

[wylie]

Not to mention the stray tennis ball accidentally smashing said tank and releasing all that water onto the floor.

I would say there is as much possibility of damage to a house from a fish in a tank (or at least the water, if there was an accident) than a dog.

Having said that, we welcome pets, and have had no issues with them (apart from the ducks we found living on the enclosed verandah once because they were too sick to be in the yard) and the dog scratches on the back door just recently. This was after a five year tenancy, and the whole house needed a freshen up, including the door.

New tenants have a dog, and if they leave and the doors are damaged after having been freshly painted, we will be trying for a repaint from the bond, and let them fight to get their whole bond back.

 

[lura]

Fish tanks do need owner permission - consider stands that rust, when cleaning - water that spills (this water has algae and other living elements in it and if not cleaned can stain and/or cause odour) - the weight of the tanks themselves over a period of time if on carpet or vinyl floors. Then there is the potential to damage when installing or removing the tanks.

If tenants do have issues with tanks damaging property and not stated on leases as permitted to do so - repairs are claimable on bond.

 

[Strannik]

My question was not so much about the "fish" tank, but about the fact that the tank is fine if it's full of water but has no fish, but as soon as you put even a tiny fish, you need a permission for a pet.

Which seems kinda wierd to me, because fish wouldn't be able to make any damage, but the tank would.

 

[wylie]

Why would somebody have a tank of water in an IP?

 

[Strannik]

For whatever reason
Maybe some people like to watch algae growing

 

[geoffw]

Why would somebody have a tank of water in an IP?

Some people have just got no tanks for anyone.

 

[Dunsborough]

add to my leases

hi gang
the following is included in my leases



Water bed. Aquarium, Swimming Pool, Spa

The Tenant shall not without the Owner's prior written permission install any water bed, aquarium, swimming pool, or spa on the Premises. If the Tenant has received written permission to install a waterbed, aquarium, or swimming pool or spa on the Premises, the Tenant is liable for the cost of any damage caused by the waterbed, aquarium, swimming pool, or spa or damage caused by the escape of water to the Owner's fixtures and/or fittings, furniture and chattels or the Premises.

 

[Strannik]

Is this the custom clause you have insisted upon, or is it something standard(either from authorities or your particular PM)?

 

[Firsthomelooker]

Having a large fish tank myself (7x2x2) I would probably put a size limit on the tank my tenants could have, and wouldn't allow one in carpeted areas. When we left our rental house after buying our PPOR I was pretty embarrassed to realise we damaged the carpet by leaving a rust stain and also the weight of the tank (probably 1000kg all up) compressed the carpet where it contacted so much that I don't think is ever coming back to normal.

At our PPOR we discovered when moving the tank after a year that the water spilt on the carpet did not dry properly underneath the cabinet itself, causing the wooden floorboards underneath to shrink (leaving gaps between boards) and the nails to rust in the floorboards. An expensive stain and polish later and the pine floorboards still look good, but the rusty nails and rolled edges are clearly visable.

We now have the fish tank on the same polished pine boards in a different room and I dread finding out what they look like underneath in five-ten years time when we move house again!

edited to add: for anyone who is wondering the rental was a concrete slab and we reinforced the floor in the PPOR to hold the tank.

 

[Rockstar]

water spilt on the carpet did not dry properly underneath the cabinet itself, causing the wooden floorboards underneath to shrink

I have never heard of timber shrinking when exposed to moisture before
Normally they swell up

 

[Dunsborough]

strannick

clause appears to be one of few added to lease by PM, and i now include in my self managed lease.

cheers