Really difficult tenants--any advice?

thank you all for your support. it actually does help me feel better. the rational part of my brain tells me there is nothing to worry/stress about; another part of me just feels sick in the pit of my stomach. just to keep you informed of the saga: this morning got a long email from the tenant saying he had decided to reduce the rent by $160 until he gets the zoned heating he wants and the temperature-controller hot water. I have now changed to a new PM. snoopy and seechange: thanks for your support. landlubber: you are correct. the most important thing is my health. Peterw: the pm did seek assistance from the owner of the real estate agency, who told her not to spend any more money on the ppty. that hasn't worked. That seems to have incurred their wrath even more. I don't know that I will EVER allow Defence personnel to live in my properties. Brits: what can I say? with the benefit of hindsight you are correct. I was willing to be accommodating, not thinking that my 'niceness' would be taken advantage of. they loved the property when they inspected it. then the day the moved in, they turned into jeckyll and hyde--they became rude, belligerent, demanding and nit-picky. they forgot I had allowed them to pull up the carpet to install their bamboo; they forgot I had allowed them into the house one week before the lease and not charged them rent; they forgot I let them paint walls because they didn't like the colour. I have learned a hard lesson. I would lol if it wasn't so stressful.
 
Talk to your PM ...but ONE thing the tribunals do recognise is the need to keep rent current. Fine to debate/complain but the rent HAS to be paid while the debate goes on. You may be able to use his "rent reduction" to get rid of him sooner. Good luck ... Deep breaths ...and remember "it's better to be up and doin', than to be down and being done". So get up and doin' gal !! :)LL
 
It had sounded that they knew what they were doing up until this point. Hopefully as landlubber said, this may be a mistake you can use to get them out of your IP and out of your hair.
 
Just a tip....

Just a tip ..also never rent to "uniforms" ;);) of any type. Think about it. You have a problem ...who is ever going to get them out ??? LL
 
lol, thanks landlubber. at the risk of asking a silly question: why never rent to uniforms? Or do these people operate in a parallel universe where they make their own rules:rolleyes:?lol
 
...this morning got a long email from the tenant saying he had decided to reduce the rent by $160 until he gets the zoned heating he wants and the temperature-controller hot water.

They cannot do this. As Landlubber has said, you (or your PM) should be able to use this to get them out. As soon as they are in breach of their obligation to pay rent (check the number of days in your state), send them a notice to remedy breach notice. Immediately the time passes if they haven't rectified the breach, send them a notice to quit. The terms or the names of the forms might be different in each state, but they have no legal reason to reduce the rent for the reasons they have stated.

...they forgot I had allowed them to pull up the carpet to install their bamboo; they forgot I had allowed them into the house one week before the lease and not charged them rent; they forgot I let them paint walls because they didn't like the colour. I have learned a hard lesson. I would lol if it wasn't so stressful.

You "could" remind your PM about these things, but ultimately, if they don't pay full rent, and there is no reason for them not to (the heating doesn't need to be zoned to suit them if it is working as it should, and the temperature sounds like it is perfectly legal).

Keep on the PM to ensure that not a day goes past the time that the breach notice can be sent, and if they don't remedy, keep on the PM to issue the notice to quit. Don't let any time slip by. Keep on it.

Good luck. Tenants like these make my blood boil. Luckily, we've only "suffered" through one such tenant. Funny thing is that I mentioned to a tradie friend that we called her "the princess". He didn't realise at the time it was not meant as a compliment. He called me one day and said "I told XXX that you refer to her as 'the princess' ". I nearly wet myself. Her hubby called me on it. That was a tricky phone call :eek:.
 
Cant stress enough to follow what Landlubber and Wylie have said above, they don't pay full rent make sure you send them breach notices as soon as you can! Play everything 100% by the book, as soon as is possible. Time to get tough.
 
You have to be absolutely ruthless on late rent and prompt notices. It's your early defence mechanism. One of very few I'm afraid ....LL
 
former DHA tenant

I now have a new pm. He concurs with being strict with rental and says that the tribunal does not look favourably upon tenants who 'decide' their own rent.

I have done some research. My tenant left Defence in April, so he moved straight from DHA to my property. I have found forums where Defence personnel and their families give each other advice on how to work the system--how to access EVERYTHING you're entitled to (and more), how to get a better house than you're entitled to, how to lie to get what you want, reasons to use to reject a house, and even advice to 'cry'. With enough complaining DHA tenants get whatever they want. It seems to be a parent/child relationship, with DHA caving in if personnel chuck a 3-year-old tantrum. My tenant obviously thinks that these tricks also work in the 'real world'. He truly is a professional tenant who knows every trick in the book.

I hope my new PM sorts him out, or else I would rather the tenant just get out. I have a feeling he won't change. I will never again rent any property to any defence personnel. They need to learn to live in the real world with the same constraints the rest of us have.
 
The tenant told me that he would re-install the carpet at the end of the lease and then have the carpet steam cleaned. I have asked the new PM to get it in writing because I don't trust the tenant any more.
 
Suggest your new PM confirm the entire situation with history in writing to the tenant. Might be better not to give lengthy notice, surprise them with the minimum just before that date arrives. At this stage you need to close the purse and just do what is legally necessary to fulfill your obligations as a landlord and CYA very well. Give strict instructions to the PM - Nothing verbal whatsoever with anyone, owner, tradies, or tenant. PM needs to do all the periodic inspections starting immediately and inspect to the max allowed by legislation, taking pictures aplenty, and written reports.

Tenant would have taken you to a Tribunal already if he thought there was a chance. I reckon a Tribunal would tick him off for being unreasonable all things considered with a very generous landlord. If the rent is not paid in full at any time he has breached the lease and hopefully your PM uses a default tenant database like TICA so the tenant knows he will be listed as a defaulter if he underpays the rent. He is in default and has breached the lease whenever the sun sets on an unpaid day. The sooner he vacates the better.
Good luck
cheers
crest133
 
The tenant told me that he would re-install the carpet at the end of the lease and then have the carpet steam cleaned. I have asked the new PM to get it in writing because I don't trust the tenant any more.

I predict they will baulk at putting anything in writing re re-installing the carpet.

Was there any witness to the conversation?
 
I will never again rent any property to any defence personnel.
Many of your fellow SSers are defence and ex-defence personnel. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater!

In years with Defence, I never had a DHA property and always rented privately. Many other defence personnel have the same experience. DHA are a cushy landlord, but they don't even provide accommodation for a significant portion of defence personnel in most locations.
 
Don't stereotype all defence members based on experiences with a minority. Unfortunately people will exploit the system, whether or not they wear a specific uniform.

Hopefully your new PM helps you sort it out.
 
Perp: I hear what you say. Perhaps I should instead say this: I will not rent to anyone transferring from DHA to private tenancy. Don't get me wrong: I live in Canberra, so I have had MANY friends from the defence forces of Australia, the US, New Zealand and Canada. I have been into their homes and they all maintained their rental properties beautifully. My husband worked at Defence for years. However, I have not known personally anyone renting through DHA and, at this point, I would not rent to anyone who has just come from DHA into the private rental market. Chindonly: it was organised through the re agent, so I assume it is in writing. I have however asked the new pm to get it in writing.
 
Was permission to take up your carpet verbal or written?

As others have said, as soon as they are able to be evicted for rental arrears, do it.
 
I didn't get smart with tenants until a similar but not so extreme situation happened to me. I accepted some tenants from interstate who had not seen the property. I was most unsure but they convinced me this is absolutely the property they are after. (having only seen pics on my Gumtree ad) I told them the place was a bit shabby and in no way new and shiny. They told me that's exactly what they wanted and immediately deposited the full bond and two weeks rent into my bank account to secure the place. How could I refuse?
Well I wish I had because as they got out of the car at the property after their long trip from Northern New South Wales they started. "We don't have to pay for water unless you have fitted water saving devices in the house." they said. He then proceeded to look it up on his phone and assured me this is the law throughout Australia. I let it go until I could look it up myself. I was sure this wasn't right but knew if it wasn't the case I would be fine. I then let the lease signing begin. It just went from there. Their imaginary issues just kept piling up and up. You would not believe the accusations and cruelty. After a month I told them they are welcome to leave but they wanted a fight. I didn't sleep at night cried constantly could not eat and I believe nearly had a nervous breakdown. I already had three properties that were renting smoothly so this was a complete shock. In the end the way I got rid of them was my son who was 26 at the time put on a suit drew up some documents for end of lease and met with them. They (being not the brightest) believed he was my lawyer. He at no stage said he was just that he was representing me. They got scared and agreed to mutually end the lease. They left the next day with rent paid up for another two weeks. Will never ever again rent to tenants that have not seen my properties and further as soon as I met the little twirp I knew I would never have rented to him if I had met him which I hadn't of course. There is a lot to be said for sizing up your potential tenants and meeting their eyes. I wonder if you had met your nut jobs before they signed the lease that you too would not have seen trouble. My advise - meet your tenants before accepting them.
 
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