First week repairs and inspection report hassles

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by quintets, 16th Sep, 2018.

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  1. quintets

    quintets Active Member

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    Hi all,

    tl;dr: In the first week, if the tenant removes my dishwasher and puts theirs in after a PM authorised electrician tells the tenant mine is causing a short, what should I put on the inspection report for my dishwasher? I ran the dishwasher a few days before while doing minor repairs. It completed the whole wash cycle and no trip.

    The tenant is asking me to take the old one away, and put their own in. No one has asked if I want to replace or repair it yet. Interestingly, the PM didn't tell me the tenant wanted to put their own dishwasher in until all this happened. If I have a perfectly working dishwasher and a faulty electrical wiring fault, I'd prefer to fix the correct item.

    BTW, my PM is a newbie. I had been told the tenant looked good, but the PM left out that they had offered less than market rate on the application AFTER I said yes. I then had to coach the PM on how to hold her ground on market rate and eventually, the tenant agreed to my rate and signed. When I asked her why they moved, they said the previous landlord refused to fix things.

    Thoughts?

    Quintets
     
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Can you ask the electrician how he ascertained the dishwasher was causing the trip?

    If it is faulty, then I'd offer to have it fixed. Keep a paper trail. You don't want them down the track to say they had to buy their own because you didn't offer to replace or fix it.

    We've replaced appliances (toaster that I remember) when several times we'd put some bread in, turn it on and the power would drop out.

    We replaced the toaster and kept tripping the power. Then we realised it never was the toaster. It was just that it was the last thing we plugged in, and was the item that overloaded the circuit.

    If the electrician says the dishwasher was faulty, then I'd not bother getting it fixed. The last two times I bothered to pay for a call out, it was a waste of money as the repair bill was more than we could buy a new one for.

    I'd offer in writing to install a new one, and let them say "no thanks, we want to install our own".

    It does sound like they might be a bit of trouble from the comments about why they left the last place. But they might be great tenants who really did leave the last place due to a landlord who wouldn't fix things.

    I'm curious to know if they are already in the house, why you are asking about the entry condition report. It should say the dishwasher was clean and working. Clearly you used it and it was clean and working. Now it isn't. But the condition report should be as things were when they moved in... clean and working.
     
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  3. quintets

    quintets Active Member

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    Hi Wylie,

    My PM was not communicative for two days (Th/Fr) so I'll ask the electrician tomorrow.

    The tenant bakes cakes at home so she's going to be a bit fussy.

    It's been 9 days since they moved and the entry condition report isn't finalised yet. I'm not sure what can be said, if the tenants disagree about the condition report on the dishwasher. I texted the PM three days before the electrician came in that I had run the dishwasher as a test cycle.

    IMO, if they say they used it, but had to track down the electrical tripping, that would be enough proof of a clean and working dishwasher.

    If they move mine out and put their in, then I would expect they put it back when they move out, clean and working. This is Property Management 101. It annoys me why the PM didn't tell me that was said to the tenant when they asked about whether I would take my dishwasher away.
     
  4. thatbum

    thatbum Well-Known Member

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    Yes I agree with this. What's the issue with the ingoing PCR? Just have it reflect what it was like at the start of the tenancy.

    I don't see how you can get away with this. I think you're getting ahead of yourself here...

    I think your core issue is that you don't believe that your original dishwasher is broken. Maybe sort that issue out first and get your answer, before deciding what to do next.
     
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  5. quintets

    quintets Active Member

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    Yes, I need to talk to the electrician and start with "Is the dishwasher faulty?"

    What I meant was, if it's not faulty, and they want to swap their in, then it needs to be put back in clean and working order when they move out.

    If it is, then as wylie said, offer in writing to replace or repair it. Probably replace.

    Thanks for the perspectives. @wylie @thatbum
     
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  6. Tom Rivera

    Tom Rivera Property Manager Business Member

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    I agree that the next step is to confirm that the Dishwasher is causing the problem.

    Also- Can I just clarify that you were only mentioning the Electrician as a hypothetical, and a professional hasn't yet looked at the Dishwasher?

    Assuming your Dishwasher is cactus, If the tenant already owners their own or wants to supply one, no harm in letting them. You can't really suggest or encourage they supply their own, but if that's their preference, why not.
    You'd just replace it when they eventually leave instead of now, saving you a tenancy's worth of wear-and-tear on the unit and they get to have the Dishwasher they wanted.
     
  7. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    I wish my tenants would do this.....

    Whats the problem, they only plug in, get them to store it on the property and put it back in when leaving.....

    People can be pretty grubby, so they prob just prefer one they have and know......

    Again, your lucky, maybe just ask if they want to replace any other appliances for you ;)
     
  8. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Who pays for the plumber to insure that the dishwasher is connected correctly at the tap? You or them? Or do you want them to DIY?
     
  9. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    LOL.....it is a dishwasher.....no plumber required, but if they feel like they want to call in a trade, then I would say knock yourself out.....

    Read your question, can we trust people to connect a tap, not electrocute themselves when using aplliances, connecting a hose, putting in a new light bulb ?

    There are things that are very simple and no trade is required, they can even ask a buddy if the have zero life skils or buuter fingers etc, if they cant handle that, then they can leave things alone.

    My tenants seem to have a go at things they should not, or let dogs eat the doors, or frames, or fences.....not many offer to wear out thier own stuff :)

    From the post seems these tenant would likely handle it ok.
     
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  10. quintets

    quintets Active Member

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    I finally spoke to the electrician. He was there because the original problem was the RCD tripping and the hot water not working. @Tom Rivera He wasn't hypothetical

    After doing the "unplug everything and plug it all back in one by one" method, the dishwasher seemed to be the culprit. He did a Megger test on the dishwasher and detected a drop to ground when the test was applied, which suggests a short circuit in the dishwasher.

    Fair enough. That test was at lunchtime.

    Even the tenant was puzzled because he told the electrician the dishwasher worked earlier that morning, and other mornings. As well as when I tested it a week prior.

    I'm not an electrician. It seems likely have a dishwasher with an intermittent electrical fault.

    @dabbler Given the fussiness of the tenants and the calmness of the sparky while describing the tenant, they might be okay.

    Next time I do a between-tenant site inspection, I'll plug in a hairdryer while testing everything. :)

    Used dishwashers on eBay are pretty cheap.
     
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  11. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    New dishwashers are pretty cheap if you can get an extra 10 a week by having one :)

    I think last ones I got were 500 or less and known brands....
     
  12. dabbler

    dabbler Well-Known Member

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    Why do you say tenant is fussy ?

    If they were making cale for you, would you want them to make sure things are clean etc.....maybe there are things they have done to get that label ? Asking or wanting to use own dish washer is not one cor me anyway.....