Outside of house/patio and concrete areas

[seabreeeze_99]

Hi,

I was wondering if I could ask if it is correct that when a tenacy ceases, the tenants do not have to clean the concrete area of the property?? Seems strange to me, as I thought the tenancy said that the premises had to be returned in the same state as it was tenanted minus the normal wear and tear.

My tenants have moved out and the concrete area is dirty and moldy and by Territory standard would have to be water blastered cleaned as part of the exiting but my PM siad that this was not the case, it was my responsible to have all concrete areas water blasted at my expense on a yearly basis..

Why do we insist and the tenancy covers that the garden be kept clean, tidy and maintain and not driveway and concrete areas???

Strange...

Thanks for listening,

Petrie Investor!

 

[Jody in Darwin]

Hi seabreeze_99,

The property must be returned to you in reasonable condition allowing for wear and tear. The condition report is the document used to determine this, so be guided by what the condition report says.

My business partner and I attended a final inspection on the weekend with a client and this was one of the items that cropped up. We have asked for the concrete verandahs to be water blasted and the tenant has complied.

It is easier to deal with this sort of thing if it is flagged in advance i.e. the fact that there is no mould written into the condition report at the start and photos to back it up. A walk through at the start of the tenancy with the ingoing tenant may also be of assistance i.e. pointing out the lack of mould to the tenant amongst other things such as how to clean A/C filters & how to clean ovens without damaging the surface etc.

My business partner & believe very strongly that each ingoing tenant should move into an immaculately clean property - not just a reasonably clean property and we guarantee a spotless property for each ingoing tenant & at owner handovers even if it comes out of our own pocket.

I would definately recommend getting it water blasted as it really lifts the presentation of a property.

Kind regards,
Jody

 

[seabreeeze_99]

Thanks Jody,
In the Territory, this seems the norm but not for Queensland, cleaning of the outside area concrete /water blasting is seem as part of the owners yearly maintenance obligations. I spoke to the Queensland RTA folks and they said it really was up to interpretation and my PM believes it sits in the same area of cleaning gutttering, trimming trees and water pressuring cleaning of outside concrete.

I act/regulation says returniing the place in the same condition as it was received minus the normal wear and tear.. I tried to argue the point that we insist they maintain the garden/lawn with regular mowing etc while would you not expect the tenants to look after the concrete area also.. It is not the privilage of living in a house than a unit?? I have decided, yes I will clean up the concrete area myself this time again.. but will have it added to the tenancy agreement under the special cause that all outside areas are to be cleaned/maintained to the standard it was at the start of the tenancy..

Lettting the concrete to get as dirty and moldy as it is is totally unacceptable and dangerous.. one could easily slip and hurt themselves..

Thanks again,

Seabreeeze

 

[Jody in Darwin]

No problem