Lessons Learnt after been burnt

I assumed it was a joke; she couldn't possibly be serious.

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.
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Could she? :eek:

Please assure us that it was a joke, missgreeneyes!

hold your horses everyone!!!!!!!!!
As far as I know my current tenants have NOT sublet. I (strongly) prefer not to have my tenants sublet and my agents do too. My agents advised against kids and having 4 adults in 2 bedrooms. Some agents work on a first-in-best-dressed principle. Slap down the deposit, sign the lease and grab the keys.
I attended the last inspection with the agent and the place wasn't that clean but acceptable. I mean, they live in it, so I can't expect them to be cleaning constantly, can I?
Having said all that, throughout the years, any uni student/backpacker (myself included) can attest to the fact that an overwhelming number (majority?) of eastern suburbs/inner west (uni-oriented) and city (uni/traveller-oriented) apartments are sublet. Haven't you seen the signs taped around the Sydney CBD? "Sharemate wanted for triple bedroom. Living room available. Free rice (? Used all the money to pay rent = no money for food?)"
I have caught many a glimpse of an eastern suburbs living room with a bed in it, draped off with a shower curtain, or partitioned off with a wall ofwardrobes and bookshelves. The dead giveaway is old bedsheets for curtains and a heap of old furniture stacked on the balcony!
 
hold your horses everyone!!!!!!!!!
As far as I know my current tenants have NOT sublet.
So are there 10 students living there or not? :confused:
missgreeneyes said:
Having said all that, throughout the years, any uni student/backpacker (myself included) can attest to the fact that an overwhelming number (majority?) of eastern suburbs/inner west (uni-oriented) and city (uni/traveller-oriented) apartments are sublet.
Those people still have to obtain the landlord's permission so that occupancy remains within legal limits. The landlord is the one held personally liable if laws are broken.
missgreeneyes said:
I have caught many a glimpse of an eastern suburbs living room with a bed in it, draped off with a shower curtain, or partitioned off with a wall ofwardrobes and bookshelves.
That doesn't mean that it's legal, and it certainly doesn't mean that you should accept it as a landlord when you become entirely responsible for the consequences! When the tenants are incinerated, I doubt the Coroner would recommend against manslaughter charges on the basis that you smile sweetly and say "But I've seen people living like this before!" :eek:

If this is truly reflective of your casual attitude and not a big prank on us, I strongly you suggest you reconsider whether being a landlord is for you, before you get into enormous financial and legal problems.
 
So are there 10 students living there or not? :confused:

Those people still have to obtain the landlord's permission so that occupancy remains within legal limits. The landlord is the one held personally liable if laws are broken.

That doesn't mean that it's legal, and it certainly doesn't mean that you should accept it as a landlord when you become entirely responsible for the consequences! When the tenants are incinerated, I doubt the Coroner would recommend against manslaughter charges on the basis that you smile sweetly and say "But I've seen people living like this before!" :eek:

If this is truly reflective of your casual attitude and not a big prank on us, I strongly you suggest you reconsider whether being a landlord is for you, before you get into enormous financial and legal problems.

I can honestly say to the best of my knowledge my property is only occupied by the 2 tenants who signed the lease.
I would not want 10 sub-lessees in my apartment either.
It is for this reason that I make my agent conduct inspections (most don't).
It is for the same reason that I would choose carefully when buying a CBD apartment as an IP. It would always be in the back of my mind that someone would probably sublet it to 10 students. If I were to buy one (lucky enough to afford one, maybe I should say), I'd try to pick one that is less popular to sublet. If you are familiar with World Square in the Sydney CBD, that is an example of an apartment that is wildly popular to sublet.

I didn't know it wasn't legal to sublet without the owner's permission. But even if it isn't, I know it happens all the time, with the co-operation of real estate agents to boot. As I said, I know this from personal experience. In my uni days I knew alot of students who lived like that too. And they still do!
 
There is no 'I didn't know'
There is no allowance for momnpop investors, there is only the RTA for each jurisdiction.
This business, not hobby or investment its a business, has rules that it is required the landlord follow.
for each place(jurisdiction, state, province) you(read anyone not a personal you) have a residential property, you must know the rules.
The property manager is not responsible or liable, the landlord is.


NSW has a terrible RTA, heavily biased against the landlord, you(see above def) need to be extremely familiar with
 
There is no 'I didn't know'
There is no allowance for momnpop investors, there is only the RTA for each jurisdiction.
This business, not hobby or investment its a business, has rules that it is required the landlord follow.
for each place(jurisdiction, state, province) you(read anyone not a personal you) have a residential property, you must know the rules.
The property manager is not responsible or liable, the landlord is.


NSW has a terrible RTA, heavily biased against the landlord, you(see above def) need to be extremely familiar with

What's RTA? I only know the Roads and Traffice Authority, now rebadged as the Roads and Maritime Services.

Thank you for the advice everyone.

I know tenants can be 'dangerous'. I do everything I can to minimise risk but sometimes....what can you do? I've done the screening, reference checks, bond, inspections...what else can a landlord do besides hire a PI to stalk their tenants?
I once met this guy. He looks just like an Average Joe. Had he been someone who was applying, I would have rented to him. He told me he ran a 'business' renting apartments, then subletting them. He got kicked out of a couple and his bond confiscated when they found out, but that didn't stop him.
I didn't ask, but did he have like 5 city apartments rented in his name?
If so, how could landlords be expected to keep tabs on tenants when the Department of Fair Trading is not keeping tabs on someone who rented 5 apartments (through the bond lodgement)?
To be fair though, I would've thought the law would not penalise the landlord if they did everything to ensure the tenant was legit. If landlords conduct inspections, they need to give notice. I think it's 7 days notice. So if the tenants move out their 10 sub-lessees, drug paraphernalia, chop shop and slaves within the 7 days and present the apartment as occupied by 2, how can it be the landlord's fault that it was used for illegal purposes?
 
RTA on this forum, is usually Residential Tenancies Act
the RTA for NSW is particularly heavily biased
onerous
stupid

tenants outnumber landlords 100 to 1x
politicians go for the mass vote, landlords lose out

the govt cant afford to house all these persons, so when they force all the private landlords out of business where do the tenants live.

edit:bad tenants outnumber bad landlords 1000 to 1x
 
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