new fence - informing tenants

Maybe i'm approaching this from a tenant point of view, rather than a landlord, however.

About 2 weeks ago, our neighbour over the back fence approached us, and asked whether we owned, or who the property manager was, as they wanted to arrange a new fence. (It's about 1/3rd of our total back fence)
No big deal really, appreciated the guy asking, told him who the property manager was and stuff.
We've heard nothing more about it.

This morning we were woken up by works proceeding in the back yard.
Now - this isn't a huge deal to my mind, it's the landlords house, the landlords fence, the neighbours fence, they are entitled to work on it as required.

However, should the property manager have told us this was going to happen ?
They haven't entered the yard through our property, but they ARE on our leased property, through the virtue of having knocked down the fence and crossed the boundary line, and are working from this side as well.

To me, it seems like our landlord has failed to provide us with adequate notice that there would be contractors here ?
Further to me, it doesn't seem like it's the neighbour's responsibility to tell us, he would have assumed the landlord/pm had told us.

I'm a little annoyed, because as a landlord, I would definitely have told me tenant, and I would definitely have not agreed to the work being done on a Saturday. AT the very least though, I'd give the tenants the courtesy of knowing it was going to happen...
 
as far as i'm concerned, by being rudely woken up by the tradies, and having them tramp in and out of our yard, and having to have our curtains closed, we're having our quiet enjoyment compromised...

they also have to tell us I beleive, if contractors will be at the property..
 
as far as i'm concerned, by being rudely woken up by the tradies, and having them tramp in and out of our yard, and having to have our curtains closed, we're having our quiet enjoyment compromised...

they also have to tell us I beleive, if contractors will be at the property..

yeah you're right, it's stupid not to tell people. Not too sure what is worth doing about it at this stage
 
Just bear in mind that your landlord may not know what exactly is happening, ie that the work has actually started.

One of our IPs has had a recent fencing "issue" and we had no idea the tradies from next door had knocked down our fence, ruined our plants and gardens and were wandering all over our yard.

Our tenant assumed we knew and had given the OK. It all blew up into a bit of a bunfight between the neighbours and us, so please don't assume your landlord has a clue that work has started.
 
Agree with wylie, I doubt the LL knows it's happening. The neighbour would be organising the tradies and simply giving the bill to the LL when complete.
 
Yes, your PM should have informed you, because the owner should have been part of the negotiation process.

So pleased there weren't any children around to get in the way of the dozer...or were there?

I would definitely be putting in a polite word of complaint to the PM.
 
Agree with wylie, I doubt the LL knows it's happening. The neighbour would be organising the tradies and simply giving the bill to the LL when complete.

It is possible that the landlord did not know anything about the fence being replaced or when the fence was going to be replaced.

We bought a house some years ago and the first thing one of the neighbours did was approach us about replacing the fence. I said they could get some quotes and we would let them know.

Without any further communication they replaced the fence. If we lived there would they have taken the same approach, or as investors do they simply assume we can afford it and forget about common courtesy?

Regards

Andrew
 
Maybe i'm approaching this from a tenant point of view, rather than a landlord, however.

About 2 weeks ago, our neighbour over the back fence approached us, and asked whether we owned, or who the property manager was, as they wanted to arrange a new fence. (It's about 1/3rd of our total back fence)
No big deal really, appreciated the guy asking, told him who the property manager was and stuff.
We've heard nothing more about it.

This morning we were woken up by works proceeding in the back yard.
Now - this isn't a huge deal to my mind, it's the landlords house, the landlords fence, the neighbours fence, they are entitled to work on it as required.

However, should the property manager have told us this was going to happen ?
They haven't entered the yard through our property, but they ARE on our leased property, through the virtue of having knocked down the fence and crossed the boundary line, and are working from this side as well.

To me, it seems like our landlord has failed to provide us with adequate notice that there would be contractors here ?
Further to me, it doesn't seem like it's the neighbour's responsibility to tell us, he would have assumed the landlord/pm had told us.

I'm a little annoyed, because as a landlord, I would definitely have told me tenant, and I would definitely have not agreed to the work being done on a Saturday. AT the very least though, I'd give the tenants the courtesy of knowing it was going to happen...

Big deal!

Enjoy your new fence and privacy and stop whining over nothing is my view.
 
Demand two weeks free rent for invasion of privacy. If that doesn't work, try suing them for trespassing and if all else fails take them to court and bleed the landlord dry.
 
It's not like they came unauthorised INTO your house. It sounds like the work was done from the neighbor's side, re access etc.

OK, so somehow, someone forgot to tell you. Big deal. Enjoy your new fence and get on with life.
 
OK, so somehow, someone forgot to tell you. Big deal. Enjoy your new fence and get on with life.

I agree .. what is done is done .. no point in getting worked up about something you can not change.

Some one made a mistake in not being polite and telling you .. have you never made a mistake in the past?

I would just write a note to the PM asking that you be informed of any works being done on the place you are renting in advance.

Now enjoy your festive season!

cheers

RightValue
 
At the very least, as a matter of courtesy, the contractors should have knocked on your door to inform you they were going to pull down the fence, although in their defence they also might have just assumed you had already been told. As the saying goes s**t happens, sometimes we just have to suck it up. Not so long ago the local council cut off our water while they worked on the mains, without bothering to give us notice. I couldn't even make my morning coffee, or get out of the driveway to go to Macca's to buy it. Not happy Jan :mad:, but I survived, barely. :)
 
....


I'm a little annoyed, because as a landlord, I would definitely have told me tenant, and I would definitely have not agreed to the work being done on a Saturday. AT the very least though, I'd give the tenants the courtesy of knowing it was going to happen...


Oh such a big deal, there were people building a new fence at the ABSOLUTE FURTHEST POINT from the back of the house that you RENT.


So if your landlord had let you know that this was happening (If she/he had even known them self), what would you have done to change the situation you were in? Would you have gone to a hotel for the period and spent half of your weeks rent so you didn't have to deal with the noise from 7am til 1pm?

There are SO MANY threads on this forum asking whether tenants problems are reasonable or not, from a froup of landlords point of view. Yet, you're a landlord yourself and you're making such a big fuss over nothing.

Honestly. Get over it. If this was your tenant and they made such a big deal over a pissy little thing that occured for around 4 hours out of a 168 hour week what would you do?

Say you pay $400 a week rent at your house.

400($) / 168 (hrs p/wk).

Would you refund your tenant $2.3809523809 for their lost hours of sleep?
 
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