QLD Tenants want to do repairs

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by Coen, 28th Mar, 2021.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
  1. Coen

    Coen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    13th Feb, 2021
    Posts:
    71
    Location:
    Qld
    How do other landlords feel about tenants undertaking repairs of fixtures, fittings and inclusions?

    We find tenants want to fix everything themselves to 'help out' but we don't want them pulling apart the ducted aircon unit or drilling into the cabinetry, etc.

    We have told them so, instructed them to advise us of anything requiring repair/maintenance and pointed them to the relevant section of the Act about notifying the lessor.

    They have responded with a barrage of texts ending with telling us that we should just accept whatever they do and say 'thankyou'.

    These days so many tenants have no respect and want to call all the shots. Boy ... it's gonna be a long year with this lease.
     
    Michael Mitchell likes this.
  2. VKeen2Learn

    VKeen2Learn Active Member

    Joined:
    14th Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    32
    Location:
    Brisbane
    Not a fan for anything out of the normal scope, I think this opens you up to a lot of issues, hassles and potential liability.

    Advise them in writing (keeping a documented copy) so they are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding maintenance requests and repairs.

    Claim as required for any damages (or sub-standard repairs) as necessary when they vacate.

    Not sure what else you can do?
     
    Coen and Rugrat like this.
  3. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    I would inform them, in writing, that under NO circumstances are they allowed to 'fix' things themselves, and that if they damage anything they will be held responsible and will need to pay to have things rectified by a suitably qualified trades person.
     
  4. Clean Cookie

    Clean Cookie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    20th Mar, 2021
    Posts:
    385
    Location:
    Brisbane
    The issue is you don't know who's doing the fix. If the ducted AC broke, I'd investigate and try ti fix it, because I'm a qualified sparky and I'd want to have it resolved asap. In fact when faced with no hot water due to a failed element on a fruday, I just went and bought a new element and thermostat and replaced them. I had hot water 2 hours later, not 3days +. The LL would never have known, also when we were renting they put in a BIR and it didn't fit what I wanted, so I just cut the silicone, removed the lot, put the panels in the corner and the screws in a bag and 2 years later reinstalled it on moving out, siliconed back and no one would have known. The PM wanted to know who we got to do our bond clean as it was immaculate and I said i did it myself, after stripping multiple cars in the driveway and having many greasy hand prints everywhere. What you don't know doesn't hurt you I guess and have accepted that there's other people like me who will do the same in my house.
     
    Barcelona likes this.
  5. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    A bond clean is a different thing to doing jobs that you are unqualified to do.
     
  6. Depreciator

    Depreciator Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,963
    Location:
    Sydney
    Painting is often something that tenants want to do and they find it puzzling when owners are not keen to let them do it. Anyone who has painted knows how important the preparation is - not many tenants will prepare things properly. And if they don't do a good job, it's time consuming to rectify.
     
    Burramys, Coen, Rugrat and 1 other person like this.
  7. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    Yep! One of my pet peeves, but speaking on that note, we had one IP with long term tenants (15yrs), who painted it every couple of years. We didn't mind at all, because he was a painter by trade, and did a beautiful job.
     
    MERK, Cousinit and Coen like this.
  8. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,319
    Location:
    Sydney
    I went to a open for inspection and the house didnt have two walls in any room that were the same colour. It was hideous with everything in bold colours that didnt match a thing. Purple, green, red, brown etc. .Tiled floors also had lots of gloss enamel drips and brush marks on frames etc Agent explained the owner allowed the tenant to paint and that is what they did.
     
  9. Cousinit

    Cousinit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    6th Aug, 2017
    Posts:
    1,022
    Location:
    Victoria
    Yeah that's about it really. Most tenants won't take the care that is needed to do a great job. Also painting is just not a job that you can rush. The preparation is at least 80% of the job.
     
  10. Cousinit

    Cousinit Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    6th Aug, 2017
    Posts:
    1,022
    Location:
    Victoria
    You sound like a pretty cool customer but the majority of tenants out there probably wouldn't have what it takes or the attitude required etc don't you reckon?
     
    Rugrat and skater like this.
  11. Clean Cookie

    Clean Cookie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    20th Mar, 2021
    Posts:
    385
    Location:
    Brisbane
    100% agree.

    I'd never let anyone paint my house. Even a qualified painter, seen too much crap work and corners cut... It took me 18 months of procrastination but the results speak for themselves at my own place. Stupid enough to buy another timber house
    I can take a week or two off work on RDO and do a similar pro job (just slower) for 1/10 the price whilst still being paid as a sparky
     
    Cousinit likes this.
  12. GenkiKid

    GenkiKid New Member

    Joined:
    11th Mar, 2021
    Posts:
    1
    Location:
    Brisbane
    My friend has got a picky tenant who's wish list NEVER ends. If you just read this tenant's weekly repair requests and you may think this IP is falling apart, in fact, the condition of this property is probably better than anyone of us here until you see it lol.

    Her new PM has done a great job just to turn these hilarious and unnecessary "repair" requests away(ie, request a entire wall repaint when she saw a spot of colour fading and the list goes on and on....) however this tenant, that I suspect she may have some kind of OCD or mental issues is now targeting the PM. Tenant now claims this property is structurally unsound and has multiple safety issues which she will sue this PM or landlord if no further actions are taken.

    This beautiful property is worth $2M in QLD and all repair or reno works were professionally done by licenced tradies. Previous tenants lived there over 5 years and only raised a handful of issues during their tenancy period. While this new tenant who moved in before last Christmas has created a LONG list of issues and dramas for everyone to attend. All the management work has conducted properly to me according to the evidence and complied with RTA regulations.

    So my question is how to deal with this type of tenants since the lease agreement has another 7-8months to go if she decides to keep paying rent and playing the game?
     
  13. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    The PM needs to tell the tenant, in no uncertain words that NO work will be done on the property unless it is an urgent repair. If the tenant is concerned about structural issues, then a builder can prepare a report, but should it be found that there is nothing of an urgent matter needing doing, then the tenant will need to pay for the report. Also, let the tenant know they are free to leave if they have concerns about the property.
     
    Burramys, craigc, Rugrat and 3 others like this.
  14. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    13,932
    Location:
    Brisbane
    As @skater says, stand firm. I'd tell them they can leave without penalty, and just give two weeks' notice. I'd prefer to wear the new letting fee than keep tenants like this.
     
    hobo, craigc, Angel and 2 others like this.
  15. Travelbug

    Travelbug Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    963
    Location:
    Gold Coast (from Sydney)
    We had one tenant the said he would paint the loungeroom at end of tenancy as there were a few marks. We asked had he painted before and would do a good job. Yes, he assured us.
    When the agent did the inspection at end inspection she said there were a few paint marks on the cornice.
    Well, there were big triangle paint marks right up on the cornice. We had to paint all the cornices.
    AND they had tried to patch a hole in the wall and there was a big lump..
     
    Coen likes this.
  16. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    Yeah, I've seen way too many patch & paint by people who clearly don't know what they are doing, that I refuse to allow tenants to do this.
     
    Travelbug likes this.
  17. Coen

    Coen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    13th Feb, 2021
    Posts:
    71
    Location:
    Qld
    How do you stop them though?
     
  18. skater

    skater Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    10,222
    Location:
    Sydney? Gold Coast?
    I let them, and the PM's know that only licensed tradies will be allowed to do work on my properties, and if repairs are not done properly, then the tenant must pay for it to be rectified..
     
  19. MB18

    MB18 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    25th Sep, 2018
    Posts:
    1,374
    Location:
    NT
    Have you offered to have the repairs made promptly when turning down thier requests to do it themselves?

    I dont know your situation here but I've found that despite being somewhat lazy myself, it can be easier as a tenant to just fix something myself than wait weeks for 'a quote from a tradesman, a second opinion, a response from the owners, the PM to return to the office' or whatever the latest excuse for inaction is.

    Not to say its the case here, but alot of landlords I've had are reluctant to do any maintenance at all for as long as possible. Your tenants may have experienced the same in the past and expecting it again.
     
    Clean Cookie likes this.
  20. Coen

    Coen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    13th Feb, 2021
    Posts:
    71
    Location:
    Qld
    No, not the issue here because we always attend to repairs quickly (although you do hear it a lot out there). We just have a tenant who wants to do everything himself and act like he owns the house. So we don't know about an issue until it's 'fixed' regardless of us being clear about notifying us first. The prior tenant did same. Even got a toilet ripped out because the flush mechanism stopped working. We could have fixed it for <$50. We were shocked. They expected to send us a bill for $850 for the new loo. What a joke.