Hi All,
I've looked up the Fair Trading website and relevant legislation that pretty much just seems to indicate generally that the landlord has to keep the property maintained to a reasonable standard depending on it's age / condition and the amount of rent being paid. My question though is more concerned with what exactly constitutes a repair?
Situation: New tennant is paying $475 a week for a large newly renovated 2 bed, 2 bath, LUG unit in a small block, in a quite street close to transport etc at Kensington, Sydney. We're happy with the rent but it's just current market rent at the moment and has never been vacant for more than a week or two (most recently no vacancy period at all).
We had a request from the PM the other day for repairs. They advise "Something is wrong with the kitchen tap", not the best description but I'll let that one slide and just say fix it. The door knobs on the linen cupboard in the hall way are loose (you know the little wooden ones held on by one screw that just require a screwdriver and 30 seconds to tighten). I think well maybe the description is just poor and there's more to it than that and just say fix it. Then I get "and 2 of the light globes need replacing"! Now is it just me or is this pushing it just a bit. I've rented for 15 years plus and never requested the Landlord come around and change the light globes. I thought as long as they were working when I moved in that it was the renter's responsibility to replace light bulbs.
I asked the not very confident sounding young girl who called me to confirm that it is the landlord's responsibility to change light bulbs and she insisted it was. I've been unable to find confirmation of this anywhere. Can anyone advise me if this is the case and point me to an authority either way?
Thanks,
MF35
I've looked up the Fair Trading website and relevant legislation that pretty much just seems to indicate generally that the landlord has to keep the property maintained to a reasonable standard depending on it's age / condition and the amount of rent being paid. My question though is more concerned with what exactly constitutes a repair?
Situation: New tennant is paying $475 a week for a large newly renovated 2 bed, 2 bath, LUG unit in a small block, in a quite street close to transport etc at Kensington, Sydney. We're happy with the rent but it's just current market rent at the moment and has never been vacant for more than a week or two (most recently no vacancy period at all).
We had a request from the PM the other day for repairs. They advise "Something is wrong with the kitchen tap", not the best description but I'll let that one slide and just say fix it. The door knobs on the linen cupboard in the hall way are loose (you know the little wooden ones held on by one screw that just require a screwdriver and 30 seconds to tighten). I think well maybe the description is just poor and there's more to it than that and just say fix it. Then I get "and 2 of the light globes need replacing"! Now is it just me or is this pushing it just a bit. I've rented for 15 years plus and never requested the Landlord come around and change the light globes. I thought as long as they were working when I moved in that it was the renter's responsibility to replace light bulbs.
I asked the not very confident sounding young girl who called me to confirm that it is the landlord's responsibility to change light bulbs and she insisted it was. I've been unable to find confirmation of this anywhere. Can anyone advise me if this is the case and point me to an authority either way?
Thanks,
MF35