disgruntled tenants = possible sabotage ?

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by AxeLy, 3rd Jan, 2021.

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  1. Antoni0

    Antoni0 Well-Known Member

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    It might be easier to pay for the tenant to leave, as in offer them a free removalist truck. Some people are very difficult to deal with at times.
     
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  2. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    Hi Antonio, there is a reason why I refer them as poo. These tenants were evicted from many other rentals. Without checks, my lazy irresponsible ex-PM had unwittingly taken them into her previous rental, thus when that landlord kicked up a fuss, this ex-PM dangled tenants a carrot [cheaper rent, bigger house, overseas kind-hearted but gullible landlord] and deceived me into accepting the application.
    With the covid rulings which favour the tenants over landlords, this tenant had shamelessly abused the system and made life difficult for my poor new PM. They could dance, they could sing [lyrical with expletives], and they could turn on or off their tears at the snap of their fingers.
    My PM described them as "someone who would rob a corpse of his shoes."
    These people won't leave because they have no where to go. No PM or landlord would take them.
    Not only are they frustratingly difficult to deal with, they are stinking out my life and my PM's life.

    PM had reached out to consumer affairs/vcat to evict them. I am finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
     
  3. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    tenant's latest collection was this junk at my backyard.
    I reckon they have to look for a bigger place to store their vast collection.
     

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  4. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    On the bright side, the grass has been mown.
     
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  5. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    The poo-like tenant would be disgruntled with the eviction. I doubt they'd have the mood to flex their latin dance moves in front of my PM again. Probably more $xx%%$## foul language spewing out of their foul mouths... but I am seriously concerned about what they might do to sabotage my house.

    Not the best way to start the investing year,but in my entire time and other I--P investors i know no--one has ever experienced a bag of quick-set cement down the plumbing system ..

    First cab off the rank would be call the landlord insurance and ask the question --what are you are covered for ..

    Next would be ,try not too over-think the downsides as the worry factor and blame game will end up doing your head in..good luck..
     
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  6. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    Not much help now, but EBM provides the best insurance cover. I'm not sure how much bond you've got there, but odds are that this will be used up just in cleaning and rubbish removal. That's not covered by insurance. Things that could go wrong? Probably the most common would be multiple holes in walls. That's a fun job!
     
    Last edited: 4th Jan, 2021
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  7. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    I've never heard of this happening. It takes a lot of effort to clean a place. The bad tenants are usually quite lazy. Happy to cause damage, but the home is usually not at all clean.
     
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  8. Antoni0

    Antoni0 Well-Known Member

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    It's just like the old saying, give an inch and they'll take a mile. I've seen this type of tenant myself and you can usually follow the mess around the neighbourhood as the PM moves them from house to house. The tenant should have emergency housing available to them, pretty sure it's priority to single parents with kids. It might be worth getting in contact with the local MP to push the issue.
     
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  9. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    True. haha. This tenant actually bothered to mow the grass. :confused::confused::confused:
    They had turned their living area into uninhabitable filthy cluttered junk collection museum, yet they cared about this grass. kinda strange. :confused::confused::confused:
     
  10. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    Hi Willair, with this tenant, anything and everything seems possible.
    My wife would be moving in alone so I have become unusually worried. What if the building explodes when she turns on the gas ? What if the power trips when she uses her electrical applicances ? What if the water pipes burst due to sabotage to the pipes? Now... what if she sees cement instead of water down the plumbing system ?

    Damned. poo-tenant has turned me into a paranoid freak.

    I'd go through my insurance policy to see what's covered. And I gotta arrange the various tradies to give the utilities sources a thorough check.

    Thanks Willair for highlighting.
     
  11. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    I can imagine this tenant having their fun time with my walls.
    I can also see extra job for my painter, and extra money out of my pocket :mad:
     
  12. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    I had been blessed with good long term tenants and good PMs. Long term tenants vacated only when they saved enough to buy their own houses. I was happy for them. Another is a cute old lady whom I presume loves my IP like her own home and would probably live there till her ripe old age.
    This is the first time I encounter tenant like this. One of my good PM had left the agency, thus replaced by that lazy irresponsible PM who had dumped the poo-tenant at my IP.

    Won't trouble my current good PM to contact the local MP. She has already done too much for this account. On 28-Dec-2020... the 15th day of no rent .... tenant paid a token of $30 which effectively nullified the no-rent breach. Tenant kept playing such games with us. What commission does my poor PM get ?
    Since my parents weren't totally happy with their PMs, I had recommended their switch of accounts to this PM. Accounts in good hand now.
     
  13. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    O No :mad:

     
  14. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    Making a nominal payment may nullify the no rent breach, but surely there a clause in a rental agreement/tenancy law that kicks in when the total amount owing/behind in rent exceeds a few weeks/months rent that the no rent clause can remain ?

    If my rent was $450pw and I only paid $30pw every week I couldn't be evicted for "non payment" and could rack up thousands in rent owing per year........
     
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  15. SeafordSunshine

    SeafordSunshine Well-Known Member

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    Dear AxeLy,
    Am very sorry about your tenant.
    From personal experience, I found myself being completely drained by feeling emotive about this type of thing.
    Could I suggest you keep terms to strictly business?
    1.Speak with the Licence in Charge.
    2.If they don't act, then speak with the Head Franchise.
    3.Write down the things you want to say beforehand and practise saying it with a cool voice.
    You will be in charge!
    4. Get in touch with your Landlord insurance and make sure every step you take is what the insurance want you to do.
    I do hope this helps,
     
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  16. thatbum

    thatbum Well-Known Member

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    In my experience, often the behaviour of the tenants is directly proportional to the way they are treated by the lessor/REA.

    So if anything your attitude towards them is probably what will make the situation worse. (Calling them "poo-tenants"? Really?)

    As others have said, why aren't you just acting professionally and commercially here?
     
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  17. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    ex-PM did not collect bond from this tenant. Neither was there any rent for the first few months. I had emailed multiple times and made multiple calls to the agency. ex-PM either ignored me or gave me empty promises which never materialised. Then there was covid and work from home and lock down. My calls went straight to answering machines. I was left wondering and frustrated with the situation. To make matters worse, I received utilities bills and I was charged for tenant's usage. ex-PM did not even handle the utilities accounts switch for me.

    I rang up another PM who was handling my IPs at another faraway suburb. PM is running her new RE business, thus was motivated to take on more accounts. She went through lots of hassle to reach out to ex-PM for the account takeover. When she finally did, she quickly got in touch with tenant and started chasing for the bond money, the rent arrears and the utility bills. Tenant started paying in bits and pieces... $100 now.... $50 later ... $30 then. PM also sent breaches after breaches for various reasons like subletting, clutter, rent arrears. Tenant countered with "hardship" claims and said it's covid so they needn't pay rent if they wished.

    Stoffo, many a time I had lost it with my PM and questioned why she couldn't simply apply straight to vcat to evict this obnoxious tenant. She said things are done differently now. She had just taken over the account, so she had to prove to CAV/VCAT that she had made every attempt to salvage the situation. Even though multiple breaches had been sent, it might not guarantee an eviction. Tribunal tends to rule in favour of tenants who could prove hardship [financially or otherwise], and as we know, my poo-tenants are superb at showmanship.

    Till now, I have lost count of how much the rent arrears are. I need a calculator to add up those bits payments amount. PM has the records but I am no longer interested.

    I am tired. I want nothing more but the poo-tenant out. I asked PM what was the QUICKEST, SUREST WAY to kick this cow dung out of my IP. She said either "Sell" or "Owner's family moving in."

    We would do that. The latter.
     
  18. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    Hi thatbum, you are welcome to read my postings and welcome to comment. I do not have the right to stop you from doing so. However, I reserve my right to state what is in my mind and to truthfully share what I am going through. If my cow dung poo wordings do not suit the liking of your honour, you are absolutely free to block my account as and when you feel like doing so.
     
  19. AxeLy

    AxeLy Well-Known Member

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    Hi SeafordSunshine,
    I had started cordially and professionally by writing to the agency boss seeking their explanation and assistance. He said he would look into the matter but I had never heard from him.
     
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  20. George Theoharakos

    George Theoharakos Member

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    Have your PM do an extra thorough inspection, turn water taps on, check lights & appliances, flush toilets a few times, check under the house, etc.
    Tenants that cooperate with us and leave the property in a satisfactory condition usually receive a signed bond claim form within 48 hours. Maybe wait till the maximum time allowed for bond refunds (10 working days), to see if any damage shows up.
     
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