Tenant demands reasonable ?
- Thread starter bennido
- Start date
I think the tenants deserve some compensation.
You say it will take at least a week to get a quote, then several weeks to install. That covers the whole month of July, just about the coldest in the year. With no penalty there is no incentive for you to act quickly, an unscrupulous landlord would stretch it out to the end of August.
I feel you should pay part of their electricity bill as those heaters just gobble up the $$$. Gas heating is heaps more efficient.
Should they take this to the tribunal you may do far worse, as they may argue that the reason they rented the house was the gas heating. It's Shepparton in the middle of winter, isn't it?
Treat your tenants as you would like to be treated if in their shoes.
Marg
You say it will take at least a week to get a quote, then several weeks to install. That covers the whole month of July, just about the coldest in the year. With no penalty there is no incentive for you to act quickly, an unscrupulous landlord would stretch it out to the end of August.
I feel you should pay part of their electricity bill as those heaters just gobble up the $$$. Gas heating is heaps more efficient.
Should they take this to the tribunal you may do far worse, as they may argue that the reason they rented the house was the gas heating. It's Shepparton in the middle of winter, isn't it?
Treat your tenants as you would like to be treated if in their shoes.
Marg
I wouldn't offer jack.
Heater will be fixed when its fixed.
Don't like it? Take it to court
Heater will be fixed when its fixed.
Don't like it? Take it to court
Imagine you hired a car over in New Zealand for a holiday(a cold climate), and the car heating immediately broke down. You have to freeze for the week in a cold car you are spending 6 or more hours a day in. Would you expect compensation? Would you expect a replacement car? Everyone's demands are different, but there is no doubt that you would expect a some form of compensation, whether it be a replacement car, and if this is not available, a discount on the hire cost. I see the original posters situation as somewhat analogous.
I agree with J Martin and that's why I am comfy with a discount in rent while the problem is being fixed. Having a house in Melbourne winter without heating is not a nice experience. A fan heater only heats individual rooms and not the whole house like a ducted system does.
So while from a business perspective it makes sense not to give in anything, from a personal conscience perspective, I don't feel good (even though the tenants are acting really unreasonable!).
So while from a business perspective it makes sense not to give in anything, from a personal conscience perspective, I don't feel good (even though the tenants are acting really unreasonable!).
Why would they win hands down ? We are doing our best and have not delayed any required action. We are even putting in a $9000 new system to replace the old one !
From the tennents point of view , if you dont ask , you dont get.
They are probably asking for the max to see what you come back with.
Put yourself in their shoes , think about what is fair and reasonable , and go back with that.
If I was a tennent and my heater broke down and I knew my landlord was fixing it as soon as reasonably possible , I would just wear the few extra electricity dollars , so I wouldnt be offering them too much.
But like I said , if you dont ask , you dont get
They are probably asking for the max to see what you come back with.
Put yourself in their shoes , think about what is fair and reasonable , and go back with that.
If I was a tennent and my heater broke down and I knew my landlord was fixing it as soon as reasonably possible , I would just wear the few extra electricity dollars , so I wouldnt be offering them too much.
But like I said , if you dont ask , you dont get
Well the tenant has come back and rejected the offer. They are willing to remove the request to pay the power bills but is sticking with the 1 month free rent (approx $1200) request. What a greedy bunch of people !!!
FYI, my discount offer of $20 pd is effectively about $600 or 1.5 week free rental based on the expected number of days without a working heating unit (new unit to be installed on Fri).
I have replied to my PM to tell the tenants that I will not be changing my offer. So we shall see what is their next step and whether they want to bring this to a tribunal.
If they do, I am essentially gambling that the judge will not offer more than what I am (and even hopefully less!).
If i were you i would stick to my orginal offer like it seems you are doing and if they decide to go to the bother of going to VCAT, then i think that you will still come off looking better.
I had a similar situation a few years ago, the VCAT member told the tenants off for being greedy as the landlord had offered a reasonable compensation amount and we could also clearly illustrate that we were doing everything in our power to make sure the replacement heating was installed as quickly as possible. I think in your case as they still do have heating available they would end up getting much less as they would only be compensated the difference in the power bills.
It just frustrates me so much to hear of these stories..... if they were the owners of the property do they think the banks would give them money off their mortage while their heating was being replaced???
good luck!
I had a similar situation a few years ago, the VCAT member told the tenants off for being greedy as the landlord had offered a reasonable compensation amount and we could also clearly illustrate that we were doing everything in our power to make sure the replacement heating was installed as quickly as possible. I think in your case as they still do have heating available they would end up getting much less as they would only be compensated the difference in the power bills.
It just frustrates me so much to hear of these stories..... if they were the owners of the property do they think the banks would give them money off their mortage while their heating was being replaced???
good luck!
hehe I like the sound of that
heater broken you could always borrow them some jackets and thick socks till
the heater was fixed as compensation
Precisely.
I'd wait until their lease is up & get rid of them. In this market you don't need to put up with a demanding tenant.
If they really want one months free rent, tell them fine but they are not to be living in the property during that month if it's so uncomfortable. They can go spend that rent they save living elsewhere! I thought your offer was more than fair with the $20/day! What troublesome greedy tenants they are. I wouldn't be renewing their lease, or if you do I'd be at least increasing the rent! Their first request was ridiculous but as someone said, if they don't ask they don't get but to now refuse your more than reasonable offer just shows what sort of people they are. I'd let them take it to VCAT... I think providing you are getting the heating repaired in the best time you can which is reasonable then they don't have a leg to stand on anyhow. You've tried to play nice and it hasn't worked, so time to get firm with the ungrateful people!
LOL yup! depending on when their fixed term tenancy expires, and how long the tenancy is i would be serving them a 90 day end of fixed term tenancy NTV (can only do if lease is 12 months) and vacate date needs to be the same as the conclusion date on lease
They've been watching too much american legal shows. cut off the foxtel!
seriously - if $600 is the offer then stick to it (or lower it) but keep countering (one at a time) every response they come back with. this shows good faith on your part and delays them going to tribunal. once the problems fixed they'll probably go silent.
1. 1 weeks rent and foxtel for a week.
2. one months foxtel
3. lawns mowed for two months
4. etc etc
