Is the Landlord Resposible for good tv reception?

From: Jenny Nowakowski


My new tenants immediately complained about the stove not working and poor tv reception. My PM sent out an electrician who said he only had to flick a switch on the stove and he wouldn't charge for that. He said the tv antenna looked worn out and of cheap design.

The funny thing is that my old tenant didn't complain about the tv reception and he moved out a week before my new tenants moved in, so it seems a bit of a coincidence to me.

The electrician charged me a $72 call out fee. He said the new antenna will cost about $198. Am I responsible for getting a new antenna and for paying the call out fee when the silly tenants couldn't work out to flick a switch? They're not first time tenants either.

Jenny
 
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Reply: 1
From: Glenn Mott


Gee Jenny,

Your property manager has found you a great electrician, imagine being kind hearted enough not to charge you for flicking a switch after only charging you a $72 call out fee!!

Sounds like this property manager is either a friend/relative/financial beneficiary of this electrician.

In the current position you are in, there is not a lot you can do, but you can send a letter to the property manager requesting that they call you for any non-emergency repair. This way you get to use your "common sense meter" on some of the silly requests that can come through from some tenants and be actioned by non-caring/family wealth creating property managers.

Now, after reading through the last couple of paragraphs this post smacks of cynicism but if it does, it comes from experience. I am sure that a lot of the people posting here have some really good property managers that they have used for years, but after being played for a fool with my first one, I promptly bought a copy of the residential tenancies act and got brave enough to speak with tenants, put ads in the newspapers and say NO when I had to.

With anything upto say, 5 properties, this is not a problem and can be juggled with a full time job, an internet connection and a mobile phone. Over 5 properties would start to chew into either work or personal time and something would suffer.

Just my 2 bobs worth.

Glenn
 
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Reply: 1.1
From: Mark Laszczuk


Jenny,
I'm in the same position, only I'm the tenant. No pilot light on stove (so it's not a simple flick of the switch here) and poor t.v. reception. As a (future) landlord and tenant, I would fix the reception, your tenants deserve to have a decent t.v. picture, don't you think? Maybe they didn't know about simply flicking the switch on the stove. Oh well, you know for next time now. As far as getting our stuff fixed, we put an application in, and we've only been here a few weeks. The people renting your property deserve to be able to live comfortably, and that includes decent t.v. reception. Fixing problems like these comes with the territory.

Mark
'no hat, some cattle'
 
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Reply: 1.1.1
From: Gail H


I agree with Mark. I'm sure the tenants tried to get the stove working. It all seems simple now, but when you're desperate to cook and you can't get it on, I'd be on the phone pretty quick.

Avoid an adversarial situation with your tenants at all costs. Read the US website Mr. Landlord for what the yanks do. Hell, they take their tenants out shopping, so tenant can pick own stove. They send housewarming presents etc. I'm sure only a fraction take this approach, but nevertheless, I think its good stuff. We have a very poor culture of landlording here. You are providing a service to your tenants. Make it a good one.

Gail
 
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Reply: 1.1.1.1
From: Michele B


As an aside, my tenants will soon be liable for the call-out fee if the problem has nothing to do with my property. The idea here is to have them phone the water or electricity supplier and/or check with neighbours to see if the problem is an area one before making a mayday call to me or my PM and saddling me with an unnecessary call-out fee.
 
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RE: Is the Landlord Responsible for good TV reception?

Reply: 1.1.1.1.1
From: Duncan M




Hi Michele,

Assuming its one of your SA properties:

How do you intend getting around Division 3, Section 53 of the Tenancies Act
which states:

53. (1) A person must not require or receive from a tenant or prospective
tenant a payment, other than rent or security (or both), for a residential
tenancy or the renewal or extension of a residential tenancy


Regards,

Duncan.
 
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RE: Is the Landlord Responsible for good TV reception?

Reply: 1.1.1.1.1.1
From: Sim' Hampel


Dunc, there are separate sections which deal with maintenance issues, which I would think cover it more than that section.

sim.gif
 
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RE: Is the Landlord Responsible for good TV reception?

Reply: 1.1.1.1.1.1.1
From: Duncan M


I had a quick look, I don't see it anywhere.

Duncan.
 
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Reply: 2
From: Jenny Nowakowski


Thanks for your replies.

Of course I want my tenants to be happy and comfortable, including decent tv reception. It just seems a bit of a coincidence that my last tenant didn't complain about the reception, because I'm sure he would.

I'm going to get a copy of the landlord stuff.

Jenny
 
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Reply: 2.1
From: Gee Cee Clay


Hi Jenny

Check what sort of TV they have.

I have had brand new homes with new aerials and splitter boxes etc all done properly.

The tenant plugs his 20 yr old TV into your aerial and complains about reception. Never had that problem at old home . (Right next door to repeater station)

As to stove. Sounds like a clock problem. Tenants can never work out why stove does not come on. Usually as clock is not on manual mode but instead some automatic program.
Lesson : When replacing stoves etc go for the simple stuff. No fancy electronic or manual clocks & programs.JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE.
 
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