frequency of rental access

Hi all

I'm after a sanity check here, I'm sure you wont be shy in telling me it goes with the territory

So, relocated to a new city about 10 months ago and began renting. I was thinking I would rent-vest for at least the next 5 or so years but I'm getting very tired of having to provide access to the property. So far:
- agent 'dropped by' unannounced a week after we moved in, supposedly to give me the garage remote but I note they haven't been so helpful since
- 2 x property inspections & i've just received notification of a 3rd, which has prompted my current grumpiness
- 3 x property access for repairs that I hadn't asked for and in no way benefited me
- 1 x access required for a depreciation inspection

I feel like an additional inspection is both unwarranted and an invasion of my privacy. I don't have anything to hide & other than pointing out the lawn needed mowing (which was arranged but not done) there has been no issues with the property.

So this will be the 8th access in 10 months which I feel is unreasonable. I've previously rented for about 15 years (different properties) & had less inspections in that whole time than we've had this year.

Our lease expires in January & it's adding to my thoughts of moving but the agent is one of the biggest property managers around so avoiding them might be hard.

 

have a look at the relevant legislation and see what it says in NSW the residential tenancy act.

 

@serendip - https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/renting/during-a-tenancy/privacy-when-renting

Although the property has been accessed several times, if the agent has given the required notice, then they are within their rights.

At least maintenance is being done (even if you can't see a benefit of it being done) - many ignore maintenance issues until something breaks and requires replacement rather than maintain it to prevent permanent damage and extend the life of an item.

 

You did get a remote.
I would have done a inspection at 3 and 9 months
Access for repairs seems fair. Owner looking after an asset. Shows they should do repairs promptly when needed.
Depreciation report fair enough imho.
6 looks like a lot but individually all valid reasons.

 

I understand where you are coming from @serendip
It is an inconvenience, and usually results in a day off work, and lost income.
Like living in a unit/complex and having to open up for the fire sensor test (like surely it can be tested remotely from the main control panel ! )
They don't go out of their way to detail all these things when you sign the lease (only in the fine print no one reads ......... )
Surely the depreciation report could have been done prior to the lease starting......
Can you expand on the various maintenance items for us pls ?

 

As an agent, all of those things seem perfectly reasonable to me. I think you've just got skewed expectations based on your previous experiences, but kudos to you for coming here for a reality check.

- I'm sure the agent could have just dropped the remote in the letterbox if you didn't want to see them?
- Inspections in NSW are three monthly, same with QLD, it feels a bit like déjà vu with great tenants after a while, but it is what it is.
- You have no right to complain about the owner requiring access to perform maintenance regardless of whether it benefits you or not, unless there's something particularly invasive or inconvenient about the item- e.g. they decided to renovate the only bathroom, tradespeople are rude and don't turn up on time, leave a mess, take unnecessarily long, etc.
- Depreciation schedule is pretty standard around tax time.

If you're one of those people who insist on being home while anyone is in the house (plenty of people are), then you're really inconveniencing yourself for your own reasons, and that's really not the agents fault.