New Tenancy Laws (NSW) take effect Jan 2011

[The Fence]

Low flow devices are going to be an interesting problem for agents and those who self manage.

You will now need to check that the devices are still present upon vacating as for many people, they will arrange to remove them.

Not such a biggie really...1 minute measure under each device tap and 9ltrs or less no worries. Not a big job when doing a tenant changeover really....not for me anyway. Looks like they are an easy fit....change washers while you're in there and no complaints about leaks either...!

Think positive...

 

[The Fence]

Just back on the water saving measures.....

I have a new tenant coming in next week and she does NOT want the water saving measures and is happy to sign off on this.

Anyone think this can be done?

They have indicated that they will remove them anyway.

So much for the Govt. trying to save water...it's just not gonna happen.

 

[Propertunity]

I have a new tenant coming in next week and she does NOT want the water saving measures and is happy to sign off on this.
Anyone think this can be done?

You cannot write a contract that contravenes the legislation. If you do, and the tenant decides that all those water bills she paid, should now be YOUR (as a LL) problem, then guess who has to pay?

You will need to install the water saving devices, sign a lease where she is responsible to pay the water bills (as all the new leases are), and then let her remove them during her tenancy. This would be the only way to protect yourself. It's insane I know.........

 

[The Fence]

Yeah, I figured as much....thanks for the reality check Prop....

Stupid rule that one...

 

[eyespy]

my pm has sent a letter saying with the new laws, the tenancy agreement preparation fee has to be paid by the landlord and no longer split wiht the tenant.
has anyone heard of this ?

 

[DaveM]

my pm has sent a letter saying with the new laws, the tenancy agreement preparation fee has to be paid by the landlord and no longer split wiht the tenant.
has anyone heard of this ?

thats correct. The full lease fee is fully payable by the owner. You can no longer charge any more than bond + rent in advance.Rent in advance is now also limited to 2 weeks not 4 unless the tenant willingly agrees.

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tenants_and_home_owners/Renting_a_home/New_tenant_checklist.html

 

[porp_e]

I'm surprised that not one of our PMs has contacted us about changing the shower heads in our IPs. has anyone else been hit up yet?

I received a letter last week that PM was going to send a work order out on the 11th April to get water savers fitted and for us to advise them if we did not want it done. Quote was for $108 for taps and shower head which sounds reasonable?

 

[42tracy]

tenants will no longer be forced to have carpets professionally steam-cleaned when vacating premises.

.

Hi I'm wondering if you can give me some advice. My husband and I are currently renting a property and we gave notice today as we are relocating back to Sydney. The PM has told us that we have to have the carpets professionally cleaned. There are three carpets, one in each bedroom, two of them have been covered with very large rugs that belong to us since our tenancy started 10 months ago, the third hasn't. My question is, while I don't mind cleaning the carpets, do we have to have them "professionally" cleaned or could we hire an industrial carpet cleaner and clean them ourselves.

Thanks in advance for any help you're able to give.

 

[womble66]

Find your lease and have a read and if it states "professionally" cleaned then you have no option other than to pay for this service at the end of the lease as you have agreed and signed the lease.

From a LLs perspective I would only want and allow, as per the lease, for a professional to clean my carpets as to ensure they are not damaged or left in a an unusable condition such as excessively wet etc.

From a Tenants perspective if it was me I would look at the cost to get someone to do it which is likely to be <$100 then look at what it would cost in my time and effort to do it and you will find that its not really that much more expensive to get a pro to do it.

Further to this I would even get the PM to advise who you should use then if if the results are sub standard then you can tell the PM to fix the issue with the company as thats who they recommended and it not your issue as you have met your obligation.

Nothing worse than spending time and money doing something to save a few $$$ then being told it not good enough and you have to do it again or even worse having to get a "professional" to fix your stuff-up whick all cost extra $$$$$.

 

[Perp]

From a LLs perspective I would only want and allow, as per the lease, for a professional to clean my carpets

As per the legislation, you no longer have the choice to "only allow" professionals to clean your carpet - unless you want to do it at your expense, of course.

42tracy, check your lease - it is the primary document outlining your responsibilities. I initially thought that professional cleaning was unnecessary, but your lease began before these new laws came into effect, so it may be that your lease may still legally require you to get the carpets professionally cleaned.

I do agree with womble66, though, that many of them guarantee the job "to PM's satisfaction", and that's valuable in terms of reducing your own time and effort on the job. It shouldn't be that expensive; I doubt you'd save much on doing it yourself once you've paid to hire a Britex machine and paid for fluids.

 

[42tracy]

I've actually been on the phone to a few carpet cleaner professionals and they will do it for $140. Two of the rooms have had very large rugs covering the carpet (as I hated the carpet underneath) and so have been protected. However, I've booked them in for when the removalists leave and the clean has been done. I've booked the PM's promoted cleaners and I'll assist them. I'm pedantic about cleaning and doing things properly. The PM have given me a checklist to carry out with regards to the vacation cleaning and it says to wash and clean the ceilings, three of the rooms have quite a lot of flaking paint, so I'm hesitant to wash the ceilings as this is going to remove the flaking paint. Oh the joys of renting lol

 

[THEGREAT888]

water usage charged to tenants

according to my pm, the water bill can not be charged to the tenants even the shower head has been fitted with water efficiency if it was not confirmed by a licenced plumber. Has anyone experienced the same?

 

[Perp]

according to my pm, the water bill can not be charged to the tenants even the shower head has been fitted with water efficiency if it was not confirmed by a licenced plumber. Has anyone experienced the same?

It doesn't have to be certified by a plumber, but the requirements are much more extensive than just a water-efficient showerhead. As with many such queries, the Fair Trading website is your friend.

 

[THEGREAT888]

Thanks Perp.

 

[cadence]

Just want to have a whinge!

Old tenants moved out. Before new tenants signed new lease, PM advised of these new requirements re water efficiency. So I paid a plumber a few hundo to replace all the taps and showerheads to make the place compliant.

Of course, now the new tenants have moved in, they have an issue with the water pressure of the showerhead. I totally understand where they are coming from as there's nothing less satisfying than coming home after a long day of work and getting into a shower with dripfeeds.

I can see the value in replacing the taps in the kitchen and basins, but what an absolutely ridiculous requirement re the showerheads!!!!

LLs are forced to fork out hard-earned money to pay underworked/overpaid tradies (sorry to the tradies out there for this hugely unfair stereotype - I'm sure most of you do work very hard, but for the purposes of this particular whinge please just go with it) to replace a perfectly good showerhead with an utterly impractical one. My 'reward' for being a law-abiding citizen = UNHAPPY TENANTS!

 

[lopezjm2001]

I have heard that there is a " regulator" thingy in the shower head that you can take out to make the pressure better but it will also increase the amount of water. I HATE water saving shower heads.

Everybody I know has complained about water efficient shower heads - most quoted saying " I have to run around in circles under the shower head just to get wet". Most tenants will remove the water efficient shower head or modifiy it. As a landlord I am suppose to make sure the water efficient shower head goes back on if and before new tenants move in - the whole exercise is a joke but I guess those dim-witted state politicians could see this coming.

 

[lopezjm2001]

I have just received a letter from my property agent saying that I must certify the taps in my rented property ($110) and other costs for changing taps that are not water saving or leaking.
Is this a requirement under the new changes?
My property was rented last Nov 2010, and the tenant pays for water usage under the agreement then. Does this mean I am not required to make any changes till there is a new agreement or within 12 months?
I have lived in the same property for 2 years as a tenant till i bought it over recently. All taps were fitted with water savings features by the developer, is this good enough?
Just want to be sure that landlords are not taken in by profiteers with these new changes.

This is what happened to me, profiteering Real Estate Agents . My agent wanted me to use their plumber to do a Water Efficiency Certificate and any plumbing required to meet the certificate requirements.

My Agent did not inform me that a plumber is not required and that a plumber's certificate is also not required.

The presence of the required water efficiency measures need only be reported in the ingoing condition report for the premises. Agents are using this new water efficiency legislation to rort their landlords!!

 

[nav12c]

hi guys, sorry to bring up this thread. can anyone recommend a plumber that can change such items in my IP such that I am in compliance with the regulations. The agent wants $250 for bathroom and kitchen sink with a caveat of $50 for each washer that needs replacing.

 

[devank]

Is it easier/cheaper to include the expected water charges into the rent?

 

[skater]

Probably should have started a new thread with this.

If you read the legislation it doesn't say that it needs new items fitted, it only says that it needs to be compliant. You can measure the water flow by turning on the taps full and measuring what comes out. If everything is OK, you can just submit a Stat Dec if you really want, or just ring up any plumber in your area and get a quote. For all you know, you may only need them to look it over & they can give you a letter to say that it is compliant, or, you might need everything changed. It all depends on what you currently have installed.