QLD Vacate inspection - Bond

My tenants vacated one week and one day ago. I will not be renting the property again as I'm selling. The managing agent has asked if I'm ready to release the bond. I have emailed twice, texted and called to say that I'd like to see the exit inspection photo's, report and billing for final water reading first. I have had no reply. Can they just release the bond without permission? When does the bond need to be sorted by? They left the pool a mess and a pool company has quoted to rectify in the next week. Are my requests reasonable? I'm in Perth, property is Brisbane.

 

How could the managing agent ask you if you are ready to release the bond when you don't have the complete picture as to how the outgoing tenants left the property??

Absolutely astounding.

 

If the Agent has lodged the bond you need to control your Agent otherwise they can and probably will release the bond. If you have lodged the bond, then only you can agree to release or the Tenant begins dispute resolution to try and get it released etc.

 

Wow, thanks, that is crazy they can just lodge it although I said not to. It’s unfortunate without any consultation my agency sold to another agency and there is barely any service provided.

 

They don't need to consult their clients if they want to sell they only need to arrange new management agreements.

 

You sound very reasonable. There's no time limit on sorting the bond. They could release the bond at any time, but it would be totally negligent for them to do so given you know of at least one expense due to be charged to them.

 

Just looking through 5 messages. When she asked if she could release the bond after pool sorted or did I have other questions first I replied with my requests for Exit photos, reports, water usage billing details, etc. Thanks I’ve specifically worded it better now. I spoke with Urban Utilities also. In Perth we can request a meter reading in between tenants. So I added a request of photo of water meter reading also since Brisbane doesn’t do this and it’s up to PM to estimate.

 

Just to clarify, we don't estimate- we read the meter and manually charge the exact usage.

 

Thanks for help everyone! Ended up with a massive headache, been a tough year and even tougher week! Yay for home open today with a green pool! Haha! Trying to get back to thinking rationally rather then emotionally!

 

Don't forget that the water is billed 3 months behind here too.

 

Yeah, the PM has told me there is $550 from their last bill that they are taking out of the bond. Doesn't leave much bond money left. Is that normal practice to not invoice them for water or take out of bond? I thought bond was to cover damage to the carpets, walls, etc. The PM is telling me it's not, that LL insurance is what you use to cover that.

 

I believe they're meant to pay the water within a month of the bill being issued to them but my tenants never do either. The bond money is definitely not meant to be consumed by tenants not wanting to meet their obligation of paying for water usage.

 

Yeah! They only just paid for the previous 3 months! The tenants are saying they didn't do any of the damage they have caused and will consider a QCAT Application if we proceed to try to claim for any expenses. It's on the property inspection reports though so I don't get why the PM is asking me if I want to proceed to invoice them? They tried the, "income has been affected by covid may not be able to pay rent" line until they wouldn't provide any proof.

 

It does sound a bit odd that the PM is doubting itself, like they're holding something back. I would ask more questions.

 

Yep, the water bill/invoice is a seperate issue, it shouldn't be taken out of the bond
What "damages" have been detailed in the exit report ?

 

PM wanted to just rectify the pool with cleaning and waterbalance and put the rest as wear and tear. I've been property managing for my husband for the past 20 years so I did up my own report with some of the damage that was reported in inspections and final inspections. I didn't worry about all the chips throughout the house and large chip on built in robe, mould on silicon in bathrooms, dirt or grease marks on vinyl in storage room, dirty fans, scuffs on walls, Bugs in lights, dirty fireplace, chunky thing on curtain were other issues but apparently cleaner fixed them instead of quoting so did them for free. Property was in good condition 2.5 yrs ago as I did a lot of work on it 3.5 yrs ago.
On one bedroom wall the tenants painted a large, patchy square, a quarter of the size of the wall, a colour a few shades off original and that's noted on the tenants 4th inspection after they moved in that there is small repairs done. The PM is calling that wear and tear but I consider if a repair is very obvious it needs rectifying. She was calling 3 iron burn marks on bedroom carpet 3.75 yr old wear and tear, and saying carpet only has a 5 yr lifespan in a rental. I'm going for 60% of the cost of replacement as I know it has a 10 year lifespan. Then I'm claiming for: Replace batteries in aircon remote; (pm just reported on her report aircon doesn't work because it doesn't turn on when she presses remote. It can be turned on at the unit). Repair pantry door that tenants stuck a whiteboard onto with double sided tape which they ripped off when vacating,

 

Out of curiosity, how long were the tenants there- the full 3.5yrs since you did a lot of work on it? You would allow some wear and tear if they were there for that many years, but I often get people who were there for a year or less try to claim wear and tear- nope! The items you've listed seem very reasonable.

 

2 years and 7 months were the last tenants. There was a one year lease before that but they ended up staying an extra month since I'd done the extensive tidy up. They were starting up their own Property Management business on the north coast after leaving Perth and left the property immaculate.

 

My selling agent had mentioned also that the tenants told him a game controler fell out of their kids hands and damaged the wall and the tenants were asking if I'd pay for it when I was first listing the property for sale. Which I didn't agree to paying for it, although they are now saying they haven't caused any damage.