In August I receive an email from property manager LJ Hooker Belmont WA;
“The tenant has informed me that the door handle from the passage leading into the lounge & Bedroom 3 can not be opened from inside the passage area and when you are in the Bedroom, this could be a fire hazard. “
As I was back in the country I managed to make an appearance and resolve this myself, I also noticed a number of things I wasn’t happy with.
Dogs
Firstly, the dogs stated in the tenant agreement were not Chihuahuas, but Staffordshire Bull Terriers (Staffys), I am not sure how you mix up the smallest breed of dog with a medium sized dog, but I assumed they were labelled as Chihuahuas so I was more inclined to be okay with it. When I spoke to LJ Hooker Belmont WA about this, they claimed the dogs must have grown in six weeks, interesting.
The breeds didn’t bother me but I requested the lease to be amended with the correct breed types. LJ Hooker Belmont WA first claimed that since the lease was already signed it couldn’t be amended, okay then, please notify the tenant of a breach in the Residential Tenancy Agreement. A few days later LJ Hooker Belmont WA forwarded me the updated lease.
Stickers
Secondly, on inspection the tenant had stickers on the walls, I informed LJ Hooker Belmont WA that the tenant was in breach of the Tenancy Agreement. LJ Hooker Belmont WA claimed Blu-Tack was okay, I had to show them the Tenancy Agreement;
“The Tenant shall not make any alterations or additions to the Premises or to alter any fixtures or fittings, furniture or chattels, or place any sign on, or paint the Premises, use Blue Tac or any other adhesive material, or drive any nails for screws into or deface any part of the Premises.”
LJ Hooker Belmont WA then claimed that the courses they were on wasn’t always up to date, I didn’t understand, had they never read a standard REIWA Residential Tenancy Agreement. I never followed up if this was resolved, though the Blu-Tack was never the issues, the issue was the tenant breached the Tenancy Agreement and I was never informed.
“Check the light”
LJ Hooker Belmont WA informs me via email;
“Could you pls let me know when someone can check the light and door locks to the property.”
I know about the door locks, but this was the first mention of a light, let me get this straight, I need to send somebody out, at my expense to “check the light”, no description of the problem, where it is located, what the tenant has tried. I ask for further clarification, LJ Hooker Belmont WA updates me with;
“Just been to the property and it’s the power point in the patio as he has an outside fridge waiting to be connected.”
I arrange for my electrician to visit the property, on return he emails me with;
“pointed out to Tenant that those 3 power points are for lighting only and can’t be used for plugging in a fridge”
So the Tenant unplugged the outdoor lighting, tried to plug in a fridge and then complained that the powerpoint was not working, I wonder why.