Is it safe/legal to ask tenant to carry out small repair?

Hi,

Please read the scenario below and share your thoughts.

Property manager of my rental property advised the metal opener at the front of letterbox has come off. Looking at the photos I can see it can easily be fixed using a glue.

I replied with a photo of super glue from bunnings that tenant can buy and try to fix it themselves. I offered to reimburse the cost of glue.

Property manager is not happy. She wants the job to be taken care by a professional handyman.

If tenant try to repair it themselves a number of things can go wrong.
- Tenant injure themselves handling the small metal plate while applying the glue.
- Glue goes into eye and tenant ends up in hospital.
- Tenant crash his car while trip to bunnings.
- Tenant hit by lightening while out in the open fixing the letterbox.. etc.

Or simply
- It is an unreasonable expectation from tenant. It's not tenant's job to carry out any repair how small it be.

What is the standard practice in scenario like above?

 

sounds reasonable to me. What can go wrong - tenant cuts themselves.

Agent's mate is probably the handyperson.

 

Any responsible property manager will not instruct a tenant to carry out a repair, no matter how small. If anything goes wrong, PM is liable. And insurance probably won’t cover them.

And what if the tenant tried, and stuffed it up? Not everyone is a do-it-yourself genius.

As you said,
It is an unreasonable expectation from a tenant.
It’s not the tenant’s job to carry out any repair....

If you know someone nearby, you can ask them to fix it for you, otherwise you are stuck with paying someone to do it.

All part of owning IPs.
Marg

 

What can go wrong ,when they open the tube punch the entry hole in and the glue comes out and a small speck flicks into their eyes while the hand is stuck too the letterbox..

Just the cost of doing business,and the ATO picks up the tab and one less worry for you..

Btw, I would not glue the box if there is movement it will break again,just have someone rivet each side and it last 20x then glue..imho..

 

Contact any of the following reputable builders:
Multiplex
Lend Lease
Grocon
Icon Co
Cimic
AW Edwards
Buildcorp
St Hilliers

I wouldn't risk it with anyone less.

 

What about their time and cost to drive to Bunnings to buy glue?

Either pay a handy person or offer to pay tenant to do the job.

 

Just stick it on for them at next inspection

 

Agreed. I've never been successful at getting Super Glue to stick anything together apart from the skin on my fingers when trying to use it.

 

Is the property close by that you you attend to apply the glue - maybe liquid nails? I generally would not recommend gluing things that are metal or masonry (like a letter box).

 

I suggest with a job like this you get a engineer to draw up the specs first before you tender the project.

 

Maybe epoxy will hold better?

 

Or a new letterbox ?

Unusual for a letterbox to be glued together so its probably not a suitable repair. A handyman will determine what it needs and carries a van of options. So they dont need to make six trips to fix a simple thing. And six more trips each time it fails.

 

Tenancy leases say its the landlord obligation to make good repairs.

 

Let me ask this:

If you or your family was renting a property and the landlord asked them to repair something that would literally cost $50, would you be ok with it? I personally wouldn't, tenants pay rent for a reason, part and parcel of being a landlord is copping the maintenance requests.

Now I've said this, I'll have a stupid maintenance request from a tenant tomorrow

 

Doubtful at best but share a photo.

 

$50?
Stupid maintenance?
Lol

 

Of course I would fix it. It would take 5 min and about $5.00 worth of an expoxy resin such as Araldite or Permatex metal weld or Rapid fix. What handy has a call out fee less than $65.00 ?

 

l My Lease say tenant has to maintain property and keep it in the same condition as when they arrived. I would not renew a lease to a tenant or doesn't have consideration for LL and who cant meet their obligation, or makes silly maintence requests

 

I am a Tenant. Currently looking at a lease renewal. Having a long think about leaving due to poor service from Property Manager. If owner does not maintain property promptly why should I stay.

 

Glueing the letterbox is much safer than mowing the lawn. The tenant has the obligation to cut the grass or the neighbour's grass if do desired.

Heck, if I were a tenant I wouldn't worry about these minor repairs.