Would you expect to pay?

[daydream**believer]

So my tenants rang me last week to ask if my electricity was on.

I said it was and they tell me that theres isnt.

They said the safety switch is off and when they try to flick it back on, it goes straight off again.

I asked if they had unplugged appliances and was told, yes, they have unplugged everything.

So, i call our electrician.

He says, due to the torrential rain we had had, there may be water damage in the roof or something similar.

He goes to the house, has a look around. Goes in the garage and sees a power board has been left plugged in, switched on and sitting in the garage doorway which is a big puddle of water.

He switches it off, goes inside, flicks the safety switch and it stays on.

He checks out in the roof just to be sure and checks the power board readings and sees nothing else that would cause the power to go out.

He says he will wait a few days to send the bill as we were expecting more big rain and if the power goes out again, then we know there is another problem.

Well, we had more rain. They had no black out and ive now got an electrician bill.

So, as a tenant, would you expect to pay this bill? It was completely their fault after all

Im taking it over to them tomorrow and i expect them to not be happy and i am ready to put them in their place if they have a whinge.

And if they winge too much, the next form they get will be to tell them get out

[cherry*135]

The RE by law, in NSW, have to give 7 days written notice of an inspection.

Another thing I found suss on the letter that came with the new lease is it said that now unpaid water bills can be a reason to have your lease terminated, same as unpaid rent.

I am unaware of any recent changes in that regard to the NSW Residential Tenancy Act 2010, so I am not sure if they are making that up or not.

I always pay the water bill on time and don't have any pests at all, so not worried about those. I don't not like RE making things up that aren't law though.

[acacia_pycnantha]

I think the tenant may be liable to pay any excess water bill, but the basic water bill, for supply and service is  the landlord's responsibility.

I guess the laws vary from state to state?

[acacia_pycnantha]

What doesn't vary from state to state (and from time to time immerorial) is the perception that landlords are leeches, preying on those unfortunates who, if they can't pay their rent, find themselves at the mercy of the elements.

Landlords hold a great deal of power in their hands. Their dilemma is  . . .  by how much does the desire for profit outwiegh the moral responsibility to give fair value for money?

it's also a bit of a double edged sword because a landlord might feel a moral responsibility to keep a family in housing who can't afford to pay the rent.(thus making a loss)  So landlords are moral hostages from this perspective. But I suspect this type is the exception rather than the rule.

[izabsmiling]

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@buzzlightyearsgirlfriend wrote:

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@the_hawk* wrote:

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@*elizabeths-mum* wrote:

Given that minimum 2.4 metres is a standard ceiling height, 2 metres means that the landlord would have to replace all ceiling bulbs. 

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Any tenant that expected that would have a very quick rent increase to cover the additional maintenance

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Any landlord who did that to a tenant with half a brain would likely have a very quickly organised trip to the relevant tribunal.

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I'd think so too ...the issue of rent increases was addressed in this thread of the OP's .

http://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Community-Spirit/A-question-for-landlords-and-tenants/m-p/339301/hig...

[*elizabeths-mum*]

I am in Queensland now, am3 and no idea what the rules are but would expect to pay for the pest control for the reasons others have said and while they spray for cockroaches as well I guess thats a bonus for the tenant. Both his house and ours are older (very)small wooden cottages and pests abound no matter how clean you are.

We don't do inspections either. I suspect he isnt terribly houseproud, but I trust he isnt he a committable hoarder or bomb maker so I dont see any need to. Unless there is a problem why cause a person stress in their own home.  Probably living next door makes that easier.

[debra9275]

In Vic, we pay the water rates and the tennants pay for their usage. One of the good things about the RE inspections, is that it's a good way to let the owners know if there's anything that needs doing.

We decreased the rent by $30.00 pm as the tenants said they would look after the garden but they didn't water over summer and we lost a few plants apparently

[the_hawk*]

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@acacia_pycnantha wrote:

What doesn't vary from state to state (and from time to time immerorial) is the perception that landlords are leeches, preying on those unfortunates who, if they can't pay their rent, find themselves at the mercy of the elements.

Landlords hold a great deal of power in their hands. Their dilemma is  . . .  by how much does the desire for profit outwiegh the moral responsibility to give fair value for money?

it's also a bit of a double edged sword because a landlord might feel a moral responsibility to keep a family in housing who can't afford to pay the rent.(thus making a loss)  So landlords are moral hostages from this perspective. But I suspect this type is the exception rather than the rule.

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Yes its a doubled edge sword and one I was glad to be rid off,

When we bought the first rental the return on equity was around 10% over the years that dropped to around 4%. so they were sold and the money moved into things that gave a much better return with no worries or problems.

[daydream**believer]

Havent been able to take the bill over yet as the tenant (the mother) isnt home.

We are very good landlords. The rent went up for the first time in 4 years last week by $20.

We have helped them move furniture, change tyres and my hubby has fixed their car for them.

My hubby goes over asap to help them with anything and do any repairs that need doing.

They broke a screen door and we fixed it with no charge to them.

But, now that the mother is barely there and the son and his new wife seem to be the new tenants, the house is filthy.

I can handle mess and even a bit of grime, but im on the very edge of telling them to go. If they kick up a fuss about this bill, i will tip over that edge.

[freddie*rooster]

She's breached the lease by moving out and passing the home onto the son, how rude of her to do that without consultation with the Landlord.

Talking about tenants paying water bills, in times gone by your rent included water. It seems RE agents have tried to add many new responsibilities to the tenant's list, like when vacating the premises and having carpets professionally cleaned, that's the owners responsibility, but RE agents try to con tenants by saying it's their responsibility.

[flashie*]

If it says you have to clean the carpets on vacation of the premises in your tenancy/lease..............then you are requried to do it.

Having said that though..........on your moving into a premises the carpets should have already been cleaned and fresh for you............and stated as such in the copy of the condition report the landlord gives you........(I am basing this on the Tasmanian tenancy laws)