Tenants moved in early

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Bright_star210473, 27th Jun, 2021.

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  1. Bright_star210473

    Bright_star210473 Member

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    Hi all,

    I’m a HO I have a lease agreement signed for tomorrow . My agent asked for keys to the front door for their office, I wasn’t 100% sure which ones they were so I went to the unit today and wanted to pick up the steam cleaning receipt off the kitchen bench and as I walked through I was hit with the realisation the unit was fully furnished. I panicked, ran, locked up and drove away pretty shaken. I felt like such an intruder. I messaged my neighbour tonight she said they were in there yesterday. Furthermore I kept the utilities connected until the steam cleaning was done so did all my disconnections after expecting they should be disconnected Monday however they’ve been in there 2 days/nights and I’m paying for it, I’ve sent a pretty let’s say straightforward email to the agent and expecting to hear from them tomorrow.
    Is there anything under the new laws in vic they can enter early especially without me knowing? I can assure you I’ve missed no calls from the agent. I’m not sure what to do here.
     
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Power and water won't come to much, but the agent has done the wrong thing by allowing them in before the lease starts. It would be good to hear what the agent says. He/she probably never thought you would find out.
     
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  3. Westminster

    Westminster Tigress at Tiger Developments Business Member

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    What's a HO?

    At the very least you are entitled to receive rent for the extra days. They might have asked the PM if they could start the lease earlier and they said yes but really they should have checked with you unless you had already told them the unit was ready and they assumed it was ok to start the lease earlier?
     
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  4. Bright_star210473

    Bright_star210473 Member

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    Thank you for your reply, I’m just concerned because this is what my neighbour said when I asked if she wouldn’t mind checking if there were lights on etc:
    Yes 2 cars in the drive way and the bedroom light is on and the back room lights are on and Nathan said you can see lights on though the window of front door hun
     
  5. Bright_star210473

    Bright_star210473 Member

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    HO is home owner
     
  6. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    I'd raise it with the PM, and ask for a copy of the ingoing inspection report (to ensure they actually did it)
    I'd also be requesting the receipt for the steam cleaning.

    Other than that, as per @wylie comment power and water is prob about $10 so you aren't really out of pocket.

    You could chase for the extra day (or so) rent as per @Westminster comment, but it's possibly more hastle than it's worth.

    Currently your tenants are thinking that you are a TOP LANDLORD for allowing then to start moving a day or two early, and we all know a happy tenant is more often a good tenant (who pays the rent and looks after your investment better).

    Let it go, just focus on ensuring that your PM is actually doing all things right from now on (double check their work):p
     
  7. jatz

    jatz Member

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    My property manager told me they give out the keys to tenants on a Friday .... even if the lease starts on a Monday..
     
  8. Tom Rivera

    Tom Rivera Property Manager Business Member

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    Noooope nope nope nope NOPE NOPE NOPE.

    If they want the keys on Friday they start paying rent on Friday.
     
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  9. Colin Rice

    Colin Rice Mortgage Broker Business Member

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    Maybe they were "friends" of the agent, either way, it seems very unprofessional.
     
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  10. jatz

    jatz Member

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    I only found out because I told them I would be going in to do a final clean on the weekend.
     
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  11. Michael Mitchell

    Michael Mitchell Well-Known Member

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    Yep, more and more it's becoming common where Tenants ask feeling entitled that they get the keys the day/night before or even a few days before, fascinated to know where this mindset comes from. In a way, it's not too dissimilar from the other misconception that their lease ends, THEN they go book their cleaners and etc, n o p e - need to have all your cleaning and any repairs done BEFORE your lease ends and you hand the keys back.
     
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  12. jatz

    jatz Member

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    Yes... Can understand they might try to get in early
    But can't understand it being approved by a Property Manager.
     
  13. Dan Wood

    Dan Wood Well-Known Member

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    Are there any legal implications here, tenants aren't actually tenants until the move in date right? Is that when there responsibly in looking after the home starts?

    Let's be hypothetical here and say they damage the unit in a fire, is landlord insurance going to cover that? Surely?

    Ultimately who is responsible? The PM? The tenants?
     
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