Rental Express - Not for me !!!!

[Louwai]

We own a number of IP's with good tennants & no issues. We like to make our tenants comfortable. 1- So they stay long term & 2-so they look after the property.
Due to personal issues we have decided to rent for a while, so we looked & found a suitable house, which happened to be listed with Rental Express.

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!
We would NEVER subject any of our tenants to the treatment we have received from Rental Express.

Straight away (without them knowing our background or history) it was obvious that we were 'just tenants'. We were clearly expected to just accept whatever they decided was going to happen.

The property was advertised as available 30th April. We wanted to move in sooner, but couldn't. They said Friday 29th or Sat 30th.
I went to sign a lease on the Sat & was told it's not available till the 4th May, so signed a lease for the 4th.
On the morning of the 4th I was told that the property is still not ready, even though the lease was signed. So we had to cancel our removalist.

I had to travel for work & I said I'm not available till the 10th so I wanted to re-date the lease to then. They refused to accept this & said that they would just re-advertise the property (even though I had a signed lease & had paid nearly $3k deposit)
I was eventually 'persuaded' to change the lease date to the 6th May.

Knowing I am away until the 10th, they then demand the entry report returned within 3 days. When I made a comment about this the PM then said, "well why did you sign a lease for the 6th" - I saw RED!!!!
I tried to speak to the person who is advertised as the founder & GM of Rental Express, but I was totally ignored.
Eventually the PM's office mgr agreed to give me an additional 3 days to get the Entry report to them.

My entry report was finally done 7 days after the (2nd) lease date,
9 or so pages & 150 photos.
The place was an absolute mess.

Remember this is 9 days after the original lease date & 13 days after they said the property was available. (when everything is supposed to be ready)
No keys to any of the security doors or the garage door.
The front security door would not close.
50% of the windows would not close.
A window with no glass in it. Which the PM says had glass in it when the condition report was done.
several lights not working.
The AC is not usable.
A broken & jagged metal fitting on the wall of the shower cubicle, which the PM says "wasn't there" when the condition report was done. ???????

And the list goes on for 9 or 10 pages.

The condition report done by the PM was useless. I wonder of they even went to the property.
Doors of particualr rooms were noted as being a different colour to what they actually were.
Light fittings of particular rooms were noted as being FLURO when infact they were a single bulb fitting.
The window that was missing a glass pane "had glass in it when I did the condition report". ?????

Most of the major items that needed immidiate attention were not rectified until the 21st of May, 21 days after the property was supposed to be available & 15 days after the (2nd) lease date, and ONLY after I threatened legal action.
Several items are STILL not rectified as of today.

Due to so many major issues, we did not start to move into the property until the 22nd of May, even though we had paid the rent since the 6th of May.
We requested a reimbersement of 2 weeks rent because of the delay, but that request has been refused, saying that "you had full access to the property on the 6th".
the fact that the property was not liveable at that time seems to have no effect on the rent being demanded.

There is now no way that we would ever consider letting Rental Express manage our properties if that's the way they treat the tenants.

 

[GreenRoom]

Hi Louwai,

Although we have not had an experience like yours. We have experienced the poor attitude of the property managers and front office girls. The funny thing is that they have no idea that we are landlords ourselves and that they stand no chance in hell of ever managing our properties in the future due to this. We could come out and let them know what we think but thier poor management and attitude actually works in our favour because they seem to be under market rent by a reasonable amount. My belief is that these type of managers and agent provide opportunity in the market for switched on investors or renters.

Some agents you buy from but would never sell through.
Other agents your would sell through but would reluctantly buy from.
Some property managers you rent from but would never rent through.
Other property managers your would rent through but reluctantly rent from.

All the best and I hope it works out.

 

[wylie]

Reading this makes me think you should pay your $40 (or whatever it is) and go to tribunal to get the rent back for the time it was not ready. Of course, that means the PM may give you notice at the end of the lease, but I reckon you will be looking for somewhere else by then.

I also think if you wished to move on, you have good reason to request release from the lease and move on without penalty.

We have found over many years that lots of renters like dealing directly with landlords because they are treated shabbily by some agents. I know many people think the dregs try to rent privately (and I agree this is also true) but we have found that many people just don't want to be treated like second class citizens.

One of our tenants was released from her lease (after a fight to make it happen) by a local southside agency because they "lost" her bond (luckily she paid by cheque) and windows didn't close, house was left filthy etc. She had a massive issue being taken seriously, but we gained a fantastic tenant from this agency's poor business practices.

 

[Louwai]

Not quite understanding where you're coming from GreenRoom.
How can poor management practices + poor people skills in any way be a positive for the property owner.
About a year ago my partner approached RE for a management quote. She was told 9%. She asked if there was any room for negotiation due to multiple properties, & the exact response she received was "nuh, take it or leave it".
So she left it. We now have a great Property Manager for all of our properties & he is working on a negotiated 6%. All very happy.

Many property owners use Property Managers because they don't know the in's & out's of the system. They expect a professional property manager to look after their interests. Their interests being the property & the tenants. Because without tenants, there would be no investment property in many cases.

On a couple of occasions through this issue I have thought, "Ok, we've had a rocky start, lets move foreward', and each time the PM has tried to take advantage & screw me over again.
I just can't understand how this behaviour is anything but undesirable to a property owner.

To date I still have not had the signed / confirmed Entry report returned to me, & as noted in the previous post, there are still several reasonably major issues which are outstanding & should have been complete on or before the date of the lease.

One of the property entrances was chained & padlocked. Only after we asked for a key to it, did RE tell us that the owner does not want that entrance used. This should have been fully disclosed BEFORE the lease was signed, as should have several other issues that have since come to light.

RE's performance has been absolutly deplorable.

 

[Louwai]

Reading this makes me think you should pay your $40 (or whatever it is) and go to tribunal to get the rent back for the time it was not ready. Of course, that means the PM may give you notice at the end of the lease, but I reckon you will be looking for somewhere else by then.

I also think if you wished to move on, you have good reason to request release from the lease and move on without penalty.

We have found over many years that lots of renters like dealing directly with landlords because they are treated shabbily by some agents. I know many people think the dregs try to rent privately (and I agree this is also true) but we have found that many people just don't want to be treated like second class citizens.

One of our tenants was released from her lease (after a fight to make it happen) by a local southside agency because they "lost" her bond (luckily she paid by cheque) and windows didn't close, house was left filthy etc. She had a massive issue being taken seriously, but we gained a fantastic tenant from this agency's poor business practices.

Yes we have initiated the relevant procedings to claim the rent back.
The agent clearly did not expect us to stay long in the first place. Before any of this started they would only give us a 9mth lease so that the end of the lease would fall in the peak rental period of 2011.
I have also now initiated the relevant procedings to get all of the other things fixed as well.

I did formally request the rent reimbersement OR to mutually void the lease & they refused both offers.
We thought about trying to get out of the lease, but decided that we just don't want the extra hassle right now. We've resigned ourselves to stick out the 9mths & then move on.

 

[Amadio]

It's a very interesting experience going from owner to tenant isn't it? You suddenly see the property world from a completely different angle, and it's not pretty.

There are several rental agencies on the south side of Brisbane that we would be very reluctant to rent from because they have such dreadful reputations. Rental Express is one - they write great property descriptions but that's where the good service stops. From then on it's a bureaucratic nightmare with rules designed for maximum inconvenience to the tenant.

Bear in mind I've never rented from them, only attempted to, but luckily gave up just before being trapped in the nightmare you are in.

 

[willair]

Yes true, and if I was a tennant who had the slightest tendancy for that type of activity, then the way I have been treated by the property manager would certainly help me decide that I would take that course of action.
Luckily for the owner of this property I'm not that type of a person.

As you say, 2 sides, but remember, this is a NEW LEASE, not an on-going issue. For a new lease the property should have been at least liveable.


Even though the property was given to us in a very poor state. The gardens overgrown, the clothes line unusable due to overgrown shrubs, cooking oil dripping out of the rangehood.

My guess is that if you assume that all tenants are like that, then maybe you own a property in the wrong area. Or does your property manager let your property in a similar state to what I received this one??

First of all i don't use a "PM",never had in over 28 years,yes the properties were in what some would call the lower end back then but over time and many different tenants you get to see how people live and pay their bills, i have tenants moving out this week they are going to work in WA,I will post some pics of the clean up,it needs complete ripout-bathroom-kitchen-a few new stumps-new elec box and maybe a rewire,,they were happy to live that way and run a Business from the main road location..

Btw,if you knew that the property was in this shape why did you sign the lease in the first place,and move in one would think one would have a quick look prior at the property..willair..

 

[wobbycarly]

First of all i don't use a "PM",never had in over 28 years,yes the properties were in what some would call the lower end back then but over time and many different tenants you get to see how people live and pay their bills, i have tenants moving out this week they are going to work in WA,I will post some pics of the clean up,it needs complete ripout-bathroom-kitchen-a few new stumps-new elec box and maybe a rewire,,they were happy to live that way and run a Business from the main road location..

Btw,if you knew that the property was in this shape why did you sign the lease in the first place,and move in one would think one would have a quick look prior at the property..willair..

While it sounds like Louwai has had a bad experience, this would also be my question.

Louwai, did you perform the inspection with the PM? That's standard practice, I'd have thought, so you can point out issues and then co-sign the report immediately, so the condition report is agreed on, and there's no "He said, she said".

 

[redsquash]

I was treated with contempt as a landlord basically because Rental Express wanted to do things their way. They seemd to forget they were agents acting on my behalf under my instructions.
Eventually I dismissed them and have found the smaller firms with property Mangers, ie the owners:
work hard , give great service and go the extra few yards .
I think the problem is that Rental Express need to spend only a set amount of time on each property rather than deal with the problem,then resolve it.

 

[Amadio]

Louwai, did you perform the inspection with the PM? That's standard practice, I'd have thought, so you can point out issues and then co-sign the report immediately, so the condition report is agreed on, and there's no "He said, she said".

Not standard practice at all once the lease has been signed. The only inspection she would have performed with the PM was the first one, with the current tenant in place. PM's don't go trip-tropping around with tenants to their first day in their new property. Tenants just get the keys and pre-written condition report which a tenant may or may not agree with.

Did she make a huge and unreasonable presumption in expecting that the place would be ready on the date stated on the lease in clean and habitable condition? Obviously yes according to Rental Express.

 

[tom1000000]

Louwai

With all due respect, what on earth were you thinking???

1) Why did you pay a $3000 deposit? At one months bond plus two weeks rent that equates to $500pw rent. Why would you pay $500pw for a place that obviously has major problems???? Did you inspect the property at all????

2) I would have paid a maximum of $100 as a deposit, until the property was vacant and ready to move in. Paying the full deposit was silly.

3) Surely that was not the only place available within 20kms. I would have found another place and told the PM where to go.

I hope you don't make the same mistakes ever again.

 

[wobbycarly]

Not standard practice at all once the lease has been signed.

Agree. It was the pre-signing inspection I was referring to.

The only inspection she would have performed with the PM was the first one, with the current tenant in place.

Or if it was empty.

PM's don't go trip-tropping around with tenants to their first day in their new property.

Agree

Tenants just get the keys and pre-written condition report which a tenant may or may not agree with.

Not in my experience. Last time we rented, before we got the keys, we did an inspection with the PM.

Did she make a huge and unreasonable presumption in expecting that the place would be ready on the date stated on the lease in clean and habitable condition? Obviously yes according to Rental Express.

Completely agree the property was in an unsuitable state (from the description) and this story has suggested I would never put a property of mine with Rental Express.

 

[rugrat]

There are some completely shocking LL's and PM's out there. I have met quite a few, and been a tenant to one myself. Just try and remember there are some good ones out there as well, the trick is in finding them

good luck with it all.

 

[Louwai]

Louwai

With all due respect, what on earth were you thinking???

1) Why did you pay a $3000 deposit? At one months bond plus two weeks rent that equates to $500pw rent. Why would you pay $500pw for a place that obviously has major problems???? Did you inspect the property at all????

2) I would have paid a maximum of $100 as a deposit, until the property was vacant and ready to move in. Paying the full deposit was silly.

3) Surely that was not the only place available within 20kms. I would have found another place and told the PM where to go.

I hope you don't make the same mistakes ever again.

Yes I hear you.
I don't intend to make the mistake again as I don't intend to rent ever again.

The reason for full payment was due to pressure from the PM. They basically refused to do anything until the full deposit & 2wks rent had been paid. This value of payment was demanded BEFORE the lease could be signed & access to the property (other than original public inspection) would be given.

Regarding the amount of rent. It is considerably under $500/wk. It is quite a suitable house, & if in the condition that it was promised in, would be well worth the rent value. Due to a combination of type / size of house + location.

As mentioned before, the PM was very pushy with getting the lease signed. When they didn't meet the first lease date for occupancy I wanted to move the date forward by 6 days. (this is AFTER i had already paid the deposit + signed a lease)
The PM refused saying that if I didn't accept her proposed new occupancy date they would just re-advertise the property & give it to someone else.
Obviously with no regard to the fact that they had my money & a signed lease.
That is the ONLY reason I agreed to accept the current lease date. In hindsight (which is always great) I should have let them do what they wanted & then taken legal action.

 

[Louwai]

While it sounds like Louwai has had a bad experience, this would also be my question.

Louwai, did you perform the inspection with the PM? That's standard practice, I'd have thought, so you can point out issues and then co-sign the report immediately, so the condition report is agreed on, and there's no "He said, she said".

Carly,
No, the PM was not present at my inspection. I was not able to do my inspection until 6 days after the revised lease date, as I was out of town on business as explained in earlier posts.

My inspection report was provided to the PM on the 13th of May & to date I have not received a signed copy from the PM.

There are also still a number of other outstanding issues as well.

 

[Louwai]

Tenants just get the keys and pre-written condition report which a tenant may or may not agree with.
.

We didn't even get all the keys.
They gave us 2 different keys.
1 Key was for both the front & back doors which were keyed alike.
The 2nd key was for a door to a downstairs office. But this door was access to the office from UNDER the house, not externally.

The keys we were NOT given were;
1 x External double sliding doors
1 x External single sliding door
1 x Garage tilt-door
4 x security doors.

All above keys were provided 17days after the lease date & only after I threatened legal action.

 

[Louwai]

A bit of an update on the service from Rental Express.
A PM is supposed to be acting on behalf of the Owner & looking after the Owner's property.

One more reason that I will never use RE for our own IP's.

The property we have rented has a fully ducted & Zone Controlled Reverse Cycle A/C system. I would estimate it's replacement value at around $15 to $18k.
On the the 13th of May in my entry report I noted that the A/C did not seem to work. The ON/OFF button on the internal control pad did not work.
On this date I requested user instructions for the unit.

After moving in, we have found that this unit has been previously set on a timer. With the power connected to the house the A/C starts & stops as per the timer.
We have tried to work out how the timer is set, but unfortunately can't. So the unit continues to start & stop at it's pre-set times.
As noted, the ON/OFF button has absolutly no effect on the operation of the unit.

4 days ago the unit started making very loud & (in my opinion) very damaging noises. I sent an email to the PM explaining the problem & my concern of damage to the unit. I also included a Form 11 requesting the A/C instructions.

That was 4 days ago & so far I have had absolutly no corrospondance from the PM. Not even an acknowledgement of them receiving my email.
So the expensive A/C unit could be totally destroyed by now & they haven't bother to do anything. At the very least they could have responded asking me to turn off the circuit breaker on the A/C power circuit.

So it's quite possible that the owner could be up for a hefty repair bill for the A/C unit.
Certainly not the way I would like my property managed.

If I was not someone who thought logically I might not have thought to turn off the circuit breaker on the A/C power circuit. Luckily for this owner I did. But that leaves us without heating in the house.

I wonder of RE have even notified the owner???

 

[mary&mat]

Hi Louwai,

Becoming alarmed reading your post as I use R/Express for our Bris property...can I ask if it's the Kelvin Grove office?

Only becoming worried as I emailed them Fri re condition report that I needed clarification on ie 'holes in the wall' and 'marks on the carpet' amongst other phrases...haven't heard anything from them yet...wondering if it's the same manager...aaaargh!