Tenants frivolous maintenance requests.

[James Bond]

Is there any way that the tenant can be made to pay for frivolous maintenance requests? For instance -

- requesting maintenance but then not giving the tradie access, so wasting his time.
- complaining the heating doesn't work when they have programmed it not to come on.

Or do I just have to send a tradie / attend myself at their whim?

I think there should be a frivolous call out fee in every contract!

By the way, these have both happened to me but the tenants in question have now moved on.

JB

 

[thatbum]

What happened when you tried asking them to pay for the callouts?

 

[jackbak]

Is there any way that the tenant can be made to pay for frivolous maintenance requests? For instance -

When we were renting our agent used to tell us if it was 'frivolous' then we would pay the call out fee. Once we rang and advised the smoke detector wasn't working and they told us if it's because the batteries need changing then we would pay the call out fee. Once when a light wasn't working they told us if it's just a broken bulb then we would pay the call out fee.

All pretty reasonable I think, tenant has to take some responsibility...

 

[jenni_nextplace]

The tenants must have been trying to annoy you for some reason, its not common practice. If its something that they have done e.g programmed the heater then they must pay for the call out.

If its a minor item you don't have to do it straight away and can wait until you have several items to do together.

Most agents tradies are educated to inform the agent if it was caused by the tenants doing. Some will charge them immediately, others will send the invoice through to the owner, who pays and the agent will request a refund. If you jump to their every whim it only makes the situation worse.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Frivolous requests are one thing but the agent/owner not providing manuals for equipment is another - can you blame the tenant for not knowing how to program the a/c if it has any more than an on/off switch? Likewise 'the oven isn't working' when the isolator switch hasn't been turned on (and the tenant not shown where it is)?

 

[HD_ACE]

Put a clause in your contracts from now on.

No access and no fault found or caused by them = they pay

Cheers

 

[Sheryn]

Frivolous requests are one thing but the agent/owner not providing manuals for equipment is another - can you blame the tenant for not knowing how to program the a/c if it has any more than an on/off switch? Likewise 'the oven isn't working' when the isolator switch hasn't been turned on (and the tenant not shown where it is)?

We left a folder in our properties pantries with all appliance manufactures instruction manuals. Eg stove ,dishwasher, remote control garage etc. now we just need to leave a copy of strata bylaws.


Sheryn

 

[tobe]

I find there is always a surge of maintanence request with a new tenant, or a lease renewal when the rent is increased.

I just send a tradie out, but I make sure my property manager is on top of them, and she usually wont pass on frivolous requests.

one time I made it clear I wouldnt be sending anyone out, the tenants do an inspection before they rent, and they do a condition report when they lease. If it wasnt on the condition report, then they must have taken the property 'as is' when they did the inspection.

 

[wylie]

We make it clear that should a tradie be called out to fix the air-con (for example) and it turns out the problem is caused by the filter not having been cleaned as per the lease and entry condition report instructions, that the callout fee will be paid by the tenant.

We don't have any issues really, except for one lot of tenants who ask us regularly if we can turn the air-con motor unit around to face outside. It is installed facing inside (open area under a house - no problems according to installer and another installer we checked with). Facing it outwards would cost us money, but more importantly, it would mean it is blowing into a batten wall six inches away and would be bad for the motor.

We've explained all this, but they keep on asking. We keep on saying no. If they don't like it they can leave.

 

[greentomato]

Frivolous requests are one thing but the agent/owner not providing manuals for equipment is another - can you blame the tenant for not knowing how to program the a/c if it has any more than an on/off switch? Likewise 'the oven isn't working' when the isolator switch hasn't been turned on (and the tenant not shown where it is)?

Many rental properties I've been in haven't had any manuals but they are easy to find on the internet.

 

[datto]

I suggest counter attacking with landlords frivolous rent increases.

 

[DavidMc]

Yes I've had loads of these. Two come to mind:

1. Lady who constantly call with maintenance requests, yet tradies come visit 2-3 times at agreed times, knocks on the door are not answered. This has happened many, many times. It's beyond the point of just not being organised, I suspect some kind of social anxiety issue or phobia. My PM has told her any more of these and she will pay the call out fee.

2. Property in high priced industrial city (Gladstone). Have one set of tenants that I feel submit 'revenge requests'. I put up with it for quite a while, with many questionable call out fees etc. I had a junior PM on this one too which didn't help. Poor girl was doing her best but didn't have the experience (or perhaps time - it's a busy market) to determine which was frivolous and which was not. Property expenses on these properties were 5x my others. It seemed to stop when I sent them the bill for a 'oven repair' (turned out that the timer needed to be set before the oven would work).

Writing it in the lease seems to be the way to go, although a firm but fair experienced PM is your best defense.

 

[Burramys]

A light fitting mysteriously came out of the ceiling. The tenant said that it was broken, not their fault. I said that a small ladder was part of the property to make changing lights easier, and that the fittings were all new, put in by an electrician. The tenant finally admitted liability and paid for the sparkie to replace the fitting. At the end of the lease the ladder was stolen, and much detritus was left. The bond was made over to me in full.

 

[MichaelGilbert]

Frivolous requests are one thing but the agent/owner not providing manuals for equipment is another - can you blame the tenant for not knowing how to program the a/c if it has any more than an on/off switch? Likewise 'the oven isn't working' when the isolator switch hasn't been turned on (and the tenant not shown where it is)?

I tend to agree with Scott here, however I also put in my maintenance request forms that the tenant should pay for it, if there was no fault to be found.
See the attached request form that I use with the little clause bit at the end...It makes tenants think twice before requesting silly repairs.

Get all repairs and maintenance in writing!