Can tenant refuse landlord to repair things themselves?

Hi

I guess it depends on the problem or thing that needs repairing as some items you'd need a qualified tradesman

But some things anyone can fix themselves

If a tenant notices something broken. Example a broken door knob or lock which a half handy man landlord can fix themselves.
Can tenants refuse the actual landlord to come in to fix it? It would save money

 

I don't think so. Unless they've got very reasonable reasons why you're not allowed on the premises.

 

Thanks

How about things like replacing a broken bathroom tap?

Does that need a qualified plumber? I have done it myself and its easy
do the regs say I need a plumber to do that sort of stuff?

 

Is the tenant saying 'i don't want you i want a plumber' or are they saying 'please don't invade my space when it is just a tap'.

The best strategy is probably to say you want to investigate to see whether a plumber is needed and fix it while you are there.

If you are in an arm wrestle with your tenant over such a small thing, maybe the issue is deeper?

 

A similar issue. Can a wife refuse a husband to repair a small thing? And insist on a tradie?

Insane as it sounds the answer is 'YES'.

 

haha
No issue. Just asking for future

 

Yes, Plumbing, electrical, air con and gas work must be performed by licensed trades. Cant really beleive you are even asking that.

There are other licensed trades beyond that eg carpenter, builder, plasterer (dry / wet) etc. Minimums often apply eg NSW $5K for painting but some have no minimum eg electrical, plumbing. NSW Home Building Act or its similiar state counterpart regulates licensed trades work and this varies by each trade and its license. It allows Fair Trading to fine you if you instructed the agent contrary to law (s5). Exempt acts include changing a washer or bulb. Otherwise, it is illegal for owners to perform such work even in their own home and it exposes you to risks if you did. Such rental repairs are often emergency works and waiting for you wont comply anyway. If I was renting and needed electrical works I would not allow the landlord any access until they produced a trade license.

In NSW, the law defines electrical work (ie needing a license) to include work on any electrical equipment including:

• Removal or replacement,
• Test or maintenance,
• Repairs or alterations, and
• Building or installing.

In NSW General plumbing information<br />
This is also ensures that fittings are compliant as licensed trades will be aware of unapproved fittings or methods eg using liquid nails to adhere PVC pipe. Or the choices for blue / red PVC adhesives and the primer requirements. Plumbers will know they also must check connecting hoses and the like.

 

Cant believe I am asking? Well Ill tell you why
Because to change a tap, connect a dishwasher, any monkey can do that themselves and save hundreds of dollars

I am talking about VIC so they may differ to NSW

 

Sorry, but I'll conditionally disagree with you. It really depends what "fixing a tap" involves and that's important here. If it's replacing the aerators for example, then no, you don't have to call a plumber for that, for example. Just like you don't need an electrician for electrical work under 60V dc or 35V ac.

 

assuming they dont mess it up and ignoring regs etc, this would be the tenants saving the landlord’s money.

Likely? Prob not. Whats in it for the tenants?

 

I recently had a toilet leak when water came from underneath the actual toilet pan. Called a licensed plumber best in our suburb looking at dozens of Google reviews. A guy came in, was very polite, spend more than an hour trying to remove the pan because it was connected to the tiles with liquid nails. Charged me $200 with no success. His offer was to crash the pan and install a new one, this would add 500 to my bill.
then I spent some time and patiently removed the pan, put a new rubber part that costed me 5 dollars and put a pan back.

Sorry but many guys don’t deserve to have any license. In no way I’ll invite any guy if I can do the works. In my several IPs I’ve done lights, some plumbing, putting dishwashers and lots of general repairs.

 

I currently have a similar issue but slightly different with one of my IPs. The agent goes to the house to conduct an inspection without me, then issues a report with some items for fixing. Then I tell the agent I want to come and fix, then the tenant says they are busy for the entire month. After this month they say they are busy for the next month.
After all of that, I just increased rent by max possible amount to show that landlords should be respected. If the tenants don’t get it, in one year I’ll increase again until they understand or move out

 

Can the agent just issue an entry notice? The situation seems odd. Not sure the tenant even needs to know that you’re the landlord. Just issue a notice to say someone is coming to fix the items that need fixing.

 

I think you should look at this in a different light. Your tenant/s are either assisting you with paying down your mortgage over the property or providing you with a degree of relatively passive income if the property is unencumbered. You as the landlord need to show respect....it is a two way street.
Obviously the repairs that apparently need doing after the inspection are in no way urgent in the tenant/s eyes, otherwise access would of been granted post haste.
Simply try to arrange a time that is suitable to both parties for the required maintenance to be conducted. Remembering that the tenant/s are entitled to a certain degree of privacy....after all they are paying for it.

 

Respected? What is that about? You're providing residential accommodation in exchange for money - no need to get all personal about it. It's not a charles dickens novel.

You didn't even need to wait for the tenant to not be busy anyway.

 

I don't agree with that statement.
This is @Firefly99 property, not the tenants nor the agent.
If there's something that need fixing, it might well be something that might result in much bigger damage to the property (water damage or something similar) that the tenants won't care about, but the LL will.

I have similar thing with my tenant now.
They just reported a non-urgent "leak in the toilet tap" in a perfect timing to when I breach them for damaging a roof requiring them to fix it.
It's clear they use the breach to make me spend money, they even demand I'll send plumber to fix.

When I told them I will come as soon as lockdown is over, I will come and see what exactly is happening, and they said I'm not a plumber so I cannot fix it.
LOL. I told them to sod off. It's my property and I will come and check what's the leak is all about.

On this instance, it's an outside dunny (yeah... I have one of those in is property. Fully operational...), so I'm not too fuss about damage.

 

I tried. Time has been arranged 2 weeks in advance, I took a day off and two days before coming the tenant cancelled my visit. I lost my annual leave day. So, yeah, it’s a two way street for sure.

secondly, if a tenant doesn’t care about my house, I do. I want to fix things as soon as they come rather than wait until their number is unmanageable.

if a tenant doesn’t respect landlord and within 2 months can’t find a date for me to come in, it’s a one way road. Then a method of rent increases would teach them a lesson

 

That’s the next step, the rent increase came first

 

Why do you need them to be there, or even agree?
I can see you're from VIC, the RTA allows you to enter without the need to consent nor for them to be at the property.

"Repairs or other legal responsibilities – making repairs or doing something else the law says the rental provider must do." (Rental providers’ (landlords’) entry rights and responsibilities)​

Even the tenants union website, who manages to find weird ways to interrupt the act, says so.

 

I say good for you. Most tenants I've had have been good and I treat them well too. But once in awhile I get nightmare tenants and I pretty much do whatever I can legally to get them to leave or I definitely don't renew lease. But I've only gone down that road 3 times out of many tenants .