QLD Safety inspection "threat" - am I overreacting?

The problem I see is that the landlord & tenant probably only need to have a 'reasonable' standard of duty of care; the PM would/should have more experience and could identify issues that may be beyond the knowledge of LL/tenants.

But as soon as you 'click' you have an expert opinion - whose duty of care (& liability) is much, much higher. And as soon as you've been told there's an 'issue', as a LL, duty of care now means you need to ensure all those points have been resolved.

 

I'm 99% sure the agency is using a product called maintenance manager. it's free for agencies to use but charged the tradesman $10 per invoice and only free for the agency if they sent out an email once a year asking owners to do a safety inspetion.

 

Does your course instruct PM's to give you the exact same photos from consecutive inspections. Stupid PM had the date on the photos. Never seem a PM walk backwards as fast as they did.

 

Ive been asked from my pm for the 3rd time now to do one. the house was brand new in dec 19. feels like a upsell, what do to now, isnt it there responsibility and the tenants to point out concerns?

 

I'm in a similar position. I have an IP that had a near-total reno in early 2019:
new everything in the kitchen;
new taps, tiles, vanity in the bathroom;
new lights, PPs, switches. switchboard;
new air conditioner;
new carpet; and
sundry other improvements.
The fixed lease expires in six months. The PM said that the checks are mandatory but did not say when they have to be done. I've got six months or longer.

Transition to new renting laws
All of the new rental laws will apply to renters who:
enter a new fixed term rental agreement on or after 29 March 2021, or
roll over from a fixed term rental agreement to a periodic rental agreement on or after 29 March 2021.

The only exception is for any fixed term rental agreement of less than 5 years that rolls over to a periodic agreement on or after 29 March 2021. In that circumstance, the requirements related to professional cleaning and safety related activities under Section 27C do not apply.

So if the fixed lease becomes a periodic agreement there's no need for an inspection. I'm on good terms with the tenants and the PM. I should be able to negotiate a small rent increase (the going rate is flat), thus saving the inspection costs. If I explain this to the tenants then they can save the cost of the inspection that I would have to pass onto them.

Apart from that I'm tending towards a separate sparkie and gasfitter for the inspection rather than a company that employs sparkies and gasfitters. The PM did not say how much the inspection would cost.

 

Just read your post, dont blame you for being dismayed, my advice? Find another PM ...

 

My advice as well. I fail to understand why any IP owner tolerates that sort of behaviour from their agent.
I have, in the past, given one and one only clear warning to agents when they demonstrate their incompetence. The warning is "Do it again and you're sacked!". I've had to terminate many agents but far fewer tenants. The agents tend to be the crooks, not the tenants.

 

Don't worry. They got turfed.