telephone line 1st connection- who pays?

[MFG]

Hi,

my 1st IP is settling soon, my new tenant has checked the property (IP) telephone line and was told that there was no line for more than a year. As usual, Telstra will charged them $299 for the standard 1st connection?

is the landlord supposes to be paying for this or is the tenant?

cheers,
Scott

 

[wylie]

We had a similar situation where tenants didn't connect a landline for about three years (in Queensland).

We had an agent find us a tenant and I asked about this specifically. She pointed out the clause in the lease that states that telephone connection is the responsibility of the tenant.

We didn't ever hear anything from the tenant, but I was prepared for the question.

Check the wording in the lease as I'm not sure if different states have different wording.

 

[onthemove]

being a tenant 13 years ago in VIC, i was the first tenant in a new townhouse. I had to pay, i looked into it first and i was liable back then.

bit silly really, considering the landlord gets slugged for all other service fees. i guess it isn't seen as an essential.

i think if they needed a phone due to severe ill health then the landlord might have to pay for that first connection.

ring the consumer affairs tenant line and ask them.

 

[wylie]

ring the consumer affairs tenant line and ask them.

I think that having signed the lease (depending on the wording) would be the more important thing, but not sure if that could be overridden.

The PM we dealt with was quite adamant that it was the tenant's responsibility.

I was hoping that we would not get brought into it, and we weren't, but I was happy to know that the signed lease spelt it out anyway.

 

[MFG]

thanks for the feedback, i will check it out

cheers
Scott

 

[Ausprop]

I have paid for it in the past as landlord but I wouldn't again. it's a debatable one as I understand the charge is alike a deferred installation cost and this is really part of construction.

 

[MFG]

Ausprop,

so if the landlord pays for it and claims it, is it tax deductable? or it just adds into the total capital value of the property?

cheers,
Scott

 

[Ausprop]

strewth interesting point. I don't know

 

[RumpledElf]

my 1st IP is settling soon, my new tenant has checked the property (IP) telephone line and was told that there was no line for more than a year. As usual, Telstra will charged them $299 for the standard 1st connection?

If there is NO PHONE LINE AT ALL and never has been you can just haggle who pays - I'd say the landlord, personally.

But if it has just been disconnected for a year it shouldn't cost $299 but they will want to send a technician out. We had this argument as our house had no phone line for 2 years and the line inside the house was ripped off the wall - ie, no service. First they said they wouldn't connect it without sending out a technician, then they said they wouldn't send out a technician as they don't do that any more and we'd have to get an electrician in, then they said they wouldn't connect it without sending out a technician as that was policy for a line that is inactive for more than a year. We ended up installing a new line from the fascia ourselves and the "technician" was a phone call from a service center making sure the line worked - noone actually came out. We just got charged the normal connection fee which is $50ish I think. They seemed to be completely incapable of grasping the concept of a house so badly damaged that the internal phone line was just a bunch of mangled wires hanging off a doorframe.

Telstra are a bunch of mugs and the amount you get told you will be charged for stuff varies rather dramatically depending on who you talk to. If they really REALLY **** you off and you have to phone them and abuse them a lot they tend to reverse some of their more bizarre and uncalled for charges. I've spent at least 15 hours of my life on hold to Telstra in the last 2 years (all for the same issue which FINALLY got resolved) and funny, have got quite a few account credits because of it.

 

[aljarvis]

I believe it is the responsibility of the landlord to pay for the first $299 connection and it is the tenants responsibility to pay for reconnection, which could be anywehere from $59 to $129. I work for a telco (not Telstra) and this is what we tell our customers, however we still charge the tenant then let them sort the payment with their Landlord.

 

[wylie]

I would think that the first connection would be up to the landlord, similar to having a working TV point and aerial and any other things that would be expected in a new build.

We have only ever had old houses, so have never had to ponder on this aspect of it.

I'd also add that it is only the past few years that we have ever had tenants who don't connect the land line, so it is something that will become more common.

 

[bespoke]

We rented out an IP about 3 months ago that had not had the telephone connected for about 18 months. We renovated it and the plugs were removed for the reno. I had intended on getting Telstra in to put in new plugs etc but forgot and the tenant ended up doing this and I havn't paid a cent myself to Telstra.

 

[Sheryn]

In NSW tenant pays first landline telephone connection fee as bill in their name, then submits via PM for reimbursement.

Regards
Sheryn

FYI
Telstra pays electricians to install service when residential building being built as much cheaper & easier to install at this time.



Cheers
Sheryn

 

[wylie]

I've just realised that the title of this thread actually says "1st connection" which I missed on the initial reading .