To approve or not to approve

Howdy All,

Tenant has reported that a glass infill door between the courtyard and garage is broken through a break in and is asking for this to be repaired/replaced. The door is basically broken into two at where the joints are with the glass still intact, property is about 6 years old and so this chance of a wear and tear is small. This particular set of doors also has a crimsafe, tenant indicated that this was still locked when the broken door was found and there was no signs of damage/tampering there.

I asked the pm to check with the trades to determine how the door could have been broken but was advised that they weren’t able to do that. Understanding that it would be our responsibility to replace this door if it was a break in, but we feel that this could be a damage by the tenant. The tenant has also requested for this door to be replaced with a solid door rather than another glass infill (there’s no window in the garage).

1. Would you just approve this repair?
2. Would you change the door to a solid door as requested?

This tenant has only been at the property for more than a month, hasn’t physically moved in yet, requested for all locks to be changed, additional locks to be added to windows, brackets to be placed around the house for security cameras, more security sensors to be added inside the house, modem socket to be moved to reduce radiation.

 

Did the tenant put in a police report? they will need to do this and I would talk to your insurance as they should cover these costs. No Police report would tell me that maybe the tenant did it. but hard to prove.

 

I think you're going to have a fun time with this tenant.
I hope it works out, but if this is the sort of thing you are having to deal with before they have even moved in

Ditto the comments about a police report. If there is no report then a break in never happened for all intents and purposes.
I would have thought you would just claim on insurance and a police report would be the first thing they ask for.

 

The rest of it was potentially reasonable apart from this.

 

So there was a security door that was locked and someone trying to break in managed to smash the glass through the solid steel mesh, but without marking the solid steel mesh....?

This is a really strange situation. There's actually not really a clear way forward, and I'd be on high alert with a tenant like that already. Is your PM uncomfortable as well?

 

Me too!
I wonder what's next?
Especially all the additional security needs, I'm wondering what their occupation is?
If they haven't moved in yet, do you have a current address?

 

Admittedly, I am a paranoid freak when it comes to safety. I'd ensure that all faulty locks in my residence are fixed immediately, and this goes the same for my tenants'.
As in the case of my long term tenants, when they vacate, I'd always get my PMs to change the locks before the new tenants move in.... though it's not an obligation on the landlord's part.

While overseas when I have to sign rental lease, I'd also request for change of locks, and I'd offer to pay.

Question is, is your equally paranoid tenant willing to pay for all the locks changed and added ?

 

THIS. The tenant has signed the lease and the lease is offered "as is". Any changes they want would generally have to be negotiated rather than merely agreed to.

 

I'd be concerned less about your tenant being paranoid and more about potential criminal reasons for wanting this. Lots of security, rooms with absolutely no visibility from outside, I'd be wary lest the property end up becoming a crime scene or drug lab.

 

That's what I was alluding to as well. You (the OP) are obviously thinking something is 'off' here as well.

If you don't have any other avenues of investigating this tenant, I would be thinking about heading down to the local police station for an informal chat about the alleged break-in and mentioning all the other points you've mentioned. Probably helpful to obtain any identifying info about this tenant from the agent first.

 

Exactly....first thing that popped into my head

 

Firstly I have to say the "modem socket to be moved to reduce radiation" has to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

I think you should be careful with this tenant.

Locks added to windows and changing of locks, one could consider that reasonable, but requesting for so much security surveillance equipment? This person honestly should not of signed the lease if the property was not to said expectation.

I think a really good property manager with a lot of experience should advice you on this. But you have to ask yourself "why does this person need that much security and surveillance equipment?"

 

Just another point of view regarding security measures. I will add in to all the speculation at the moment about why the tenant needs the security measures. May be a past victim of violence/trauma?

To me everything the tenant asks for seems reasonable, other than the modem socket - which in itself I am failing to understand. Does the tenant want the NBN box moved? Or the phone socket in the wall? Or just wants the wi-fi router moved? Or ? Some people could be extremely sensitive to radiation - does the tenant not use a mobile phone?