Renters Rant

[Ideo]

Sorry guys. Going to have a bit of a rant from a renters perspective.

I just signed a new lease (moving to a different suburb as it is somewhere we think we want to buy but want to make sure before we sink 500k). We had to give 3 weeks notice at our current place, so we requested that the lease start on the 26th of October.

The place was being renovated, but we were told that the owner wants someone in ASAP so the latest they would do would be the 19th.

So, fine, not a problem. We'll pay rent for a few days on 2 places. Not a huge drama at all. Organised for the move to take place on the 19th, notice handed in, holiday cancelled so we could move.

Then, this morning, we get a phone call. The owner wants us to move in the 26th instead. Except we have a lease. And we have handed in our notice. And cancelled all services. And have people to help us move. And have rented a truck.

Oh - and apparently a request to put a hooks has put them in a tailspin.

This is not going to go well...

Seriously. If you are renting out property get your act together. It is not that hard. I managed to do it from 450kms away and not have issues like this.

So, a simple guide to new landlords.

1) If you agree to a move in date you have agreed to a move in date. Renters are people with commitments as well - they are not just your cash cow. Don't try and push it back a week with 5 days notice. Particularly when you have insisted on an earlier lease commencement in the first place.

2) Every renter wants hooks for pictures. Put some in. That way you have control over the situation and can dictate where to put them. It's not a big drama. People have pictures - even sub-human scum like tenants.

3) Establish time frames. Work within them. Don't overestimate your own ability. Be realistic in what you can acheive.

4) Tenants will have to give notice etc. It is a fact of life. Budget for it, react accordingly. Yours is not the only property out there - and the chances are they are already living somewhere else, so don't expect people to be able to move in a week.

 

[kathryn d]

It would be a pain to request a later moving in date, and it not be accepted, and then be told you can't move in.

Ask what they plan to do to compensate you...or ask at the Tribunal what your options are.

If they are finished renovating everything except one room, may be you can still move your possessions in?

 

[TMNT]

I feel for you,

based on past experience as the owner, doing a reno,
I will never set a date for reno completion, as always something comes up that completely screws the schedule, the best I give is an estimate

 

[Scott No Mates]

The dangers of aggressive leasing and bullish construction programmes. If the owner can't make the date, then they're the ones who should be paying for your inconvenience - it isn't your fault that they can't deliver.

Ideo, is it a private rental? Push back regardless - how much work is going to be outstanding?

Yes, owners should be realistic - even sub-humans need somewhere to hang photos of their relatives.

 

[Ideo]

I feel for you,

based on past experience as the owner, doing a reno,
I will never set a date for reno completion, as always something comes up that completely screws the schedule, the best I give is an estimate

Exactly.

I did one on the IP I used to own and it wasn't on the market until I finished.

It only needs a couple of minor things done (blinds, replace the screen door) and it's finished - and that was over a week ago when we inspected it, as far as I can tell. New kitchen, bathroom, paint, carpet, windows have all been installed etc. Electricity is on and plumbing works.

If we pushed for the earlier date I would be a lot less annoyed. But we wanted the latter date to start with.

Scott - it's through Mr Hooker.

They have been given some options.
1) Rented at half rent for the week.
2) Allow us to store our goods free of charge in the garage/backroom and pay for a hotel for us for the two nights we will be without a place
3) work bloody hard and get it done before we move in and we won't kick up a fuss if a couple of small things get done at a more convenient time.

 

[westminster]

I almost had one of these rants the other week.

I took on a corporate resi lease and the state of the house left a lot to be desired. It had been 'professionally cleaned' inc steam cleaning of carpets yet the carpet was covered in black hair and the washing machine had an attractive algae growth happening.

I emailed the PM expressing my dismay at the state of the carpet and she replied "Whilst I appreciate that the home may still have needed some cleaning, as the residential tenancy act states, a property must be given over in a reasonable clean condition. Which I feel this home was. The condition of the home including the cleanliness will be reflected on the property condition report as well."

I can bet my last dollar when it comes time to leave 'reasonable clean condition' will be a bone of contention and I'll be expected to leave it in pristine condition not 'reasonable'

 

[wylie]

We had the reverse happen when we were renovating earlier this year. Full reno, new kitchen, bathroom, walls removed. The painter we met on site to get a quote for the job wanted to rent it. We knew it would be weeks away, so didn't lock a "move in" date but his current landlord was pushing to get a firm move out date so he could start renovating the house they were currently in.

We "estimated" a realistic move in date (with two weeks of work left), which would have worked except our floor sander took three days longer than expected due to strange marks that needed extra days of sanding to remove, and extra coats of stain to hide.

The tenants moved in before it was completely finished, but they were cool with it. I still felt bad, but it was a combination of floor sanding time blowing out and their current landlord pushing for them to vacate.

These tenants are fantastic, he is now our painter of choice and we were lucky it didn't blow up to a big problem. Without their old landlord pushing for them to move, we wouldn't have even nominated a date until closer to knowing for sure there were not issues with final jobs.