Is this normal?

Discussion in 'Repairs & Maintenance' started by emilym, 16th Jan, 2021.

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  1. emilym

    emilym Member

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    A carpenter was hired to remove and replace a termite-ridden doorframe from the bathroom of the studio we are living in as tenants.

    The carpenter came for around 2-3 hours, and removed the door, did some work on the frame- then left the door off the hinges and said he did not have enough time to finish the job, works full time at another job, and would be back next weekend. We currently have no bathroom door to our studio, we've made do with a sheet we out up ourselves. Is this standard in the carpentry industry, and is it reasonable as tenant we ask for a bathroom door not be absent for a week? As tenants, we cannot call the company follow up, and I'm reluctant to sour our relationship with our landlord by complaining. Any suggestions or comments would be welcome.
     
  2. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Should have been completed in one day. Surely he knew the scope of the work. You'd have to have rocks in your head to leave the bathroom door off. He's not from Mt Druitt is he? I'd be onto the agent first thing Monday to get the job finished.
     
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  3. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    Shocker.
     
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  4. Terry_w

    Terry_w Lawyer, Tax Adviser and Mortgage broker in Sydney Business Member

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    Not normal
     
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  5. emilym

    emilym Member

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    Not from Mount Druitt :) The carpenter was the boss's apprentice son, late to the job, and we were under the assumption (at least from our landlord) that it would be done in one visit. We've asked carpenter friends who seem to think it's a ~5 hour job. We rent directly from our landlord, who also lives on site, no property maanger. She saw the work after he left. She didn't realise there would be no door, but asked us if it was okay to leave it like that for a week. I was a bit put on the spot. We'll have to ask her to speak to the carpenter's boss.

    I know some couples leave the door open when using the bathroom, but we're definitely not like that. The bathroom is next to the kitchen too, I don't like the idea of no door there.
     
  6. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    It should have been completed in one visit. Expecting you live without that door for a week is unacceptable. The company that did it sounds very amateur, perhaps a family contact, not professional at all.
    Your landlord should organise to rectify ASAP.
     
  7. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    It is a difficult situation, renting directly from the landlord who also lives in the building.

    You should not have been put on the spot like this, but as you @emilym agreed to it and have a sheet up you might have to make do for the week.

    Still, I'd message the owner asking to have it rectified earlier, due to lack of privacy and hygiene due to adjoining kitchen.

    Also, why is the owner organizing these works and repairs, it sounds like a strata complex, so strata should be managing this, or do they own the entire complex ?

    One for other members/PM's: could this be considered an essential service ?
    Sure it isn't a front door for security, but most bathrooms have a privacy lock o_O
     
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  8. emilym

    emilym Member

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    Thank you for your insight.

    We rent a self contained lower floor studio in the house of the landlord. We are on friendly terms, which ironically makes it more difficult.

    It was very on the spot. The builder had left, but I assumed that he had just stepped out to his car. She came inside while I was playing guitar, I wasn't expecting it, and not in the mindframe to evaluate it.

    I'm interested in the landlord consensus in 'essential service.' It doesn't have have to have a lock, I'd settle for just a door so we don't feel like we're pooping in open living space
     
  9. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    I don’t think it’s a hygiene issue - as long as you put the lid down when you flush!

    However, it’s not acceptable to leave a toilet without a door (assuming that is what is in your ‘bathroom’).

    Even though you agreed to wait a week, you can definitely reconsider that.

    I would just get in contact with the landlord asap and say ‘We thought we could put up with it to help you out - but it’s really unpleasant. Can you organise the tradie to come on Monday to fix it? The tradie could come after work.

    If you put it like this, it shouldn’t affect the relationship at all.
     
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  10. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

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    That's totally unacceptable. I'd talk to the LL and ask them to get someone in on Monday to rectify.
     
  11. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    An incomplete job and expected to wait another week or 5 to complete?
     
  12. qak

    qak Well-Known Member

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    I wouldn't call a bathroom door an essential service, no.

    However, I would expect that job to be done in one visit unless there was some extraordinary circumstance that was not known until the old door and frame were removed, which doesn't seem to be the case.

    Yes, ask the landlord to have the carpenter come back sooner, I assume you're happy to have him there after his FT job hours if necessary?
     
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  13. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

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    Perfect
     
  14. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Tell the landlord to take the doors off his bathrooms for a week! Hello. Not very noice.
     
  15. emilym

    emilym Member

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    We said this, and it was fine Thank you! The carpenter said he could not come all week, as he was working in commercial units. She began looking at other carpenter's, but it seems it's a hard time to get a tradesman. One said two weeks, the other February! So, we asked if my Fiance could try hanging it himself, and she agreed. There is no architrave, and no recess for the door to close properly- but we are happy to have it up!

    It took my fiance, a newbie, 15 minutes, which makes me wonder why the chippy didn't just do that if he knew he wouldn't return for the week.

    Thanks everyone for the advice. It is much appreciated.
     
  16. Noobieboy

    Noobieboy Well-Known Member

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    Absolutely unacceptable. I would say as mentioned by many before “Hey. We thought we could help you out by waiting a week, however as it’s a studio, there is absolutely no separation between bathroom noise and the rest of the place. Can we get the work finished on Monday?”
     
  17. Tools

    Tools Well-Known Member

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    No way he can have done an acceptable job in 15 minutes.Old mate will still need to come back to complete.

    Tools
     
  18. emilym

    emilym Member

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    @Tools I wasn't clear. Yeah, fiance only hung it, he didn't have tools to recess the door lock, and it still needs a frame. Old mate will definitely be back, but we can wait a week more comfortably now. I wondered why the carpenter didn't think about doing it to make us comfortable- but that's probably asking too much as there is apparently a shortage of tradesmen, and they can do as they like.
     
  19. Tools

    Tools Well-Known Member

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    No shortage of trades here in Melbourne, but definitely a shortage of people that know what they are doing!

    Tools
     

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