Vacate inspection / bond

Dealing with a matter from the tenants position this time.
My partner and I moved into a very old, dirty rental property with the view to live there for 6 months until it was knocked down.
It took a lot of cleaning by us to make it live able but we were happy to do so as it was so cheap.
We did not take photos or were given a condition report /signed one as it was guaranteed it was a knock down.

Long story shorts 18 months has now passed and we have moved into another property.
It has been 2 weeks since keys were handed in, agent is now asking us to go back and do some cleaning and painting as they are going to try and rent it again for 6 months.

Just seems unfair as we left it in better condition than we found it and they are just using us as a free cleaning service.

They said it does not matter that we didn't fill out and sign a condition report as we signed on the lease that we did?

Is there anything we can do?

 

What state is this?

Generally not having done the property condition report is not a big issue - there's other ways to prove the condition of the property at any particular time (for example, oral testimony).

 

Property is in NSW

 

Well it just has to be reasonably clean at the end of the tenancy, which takes into account the condition at the state of the tenancy as well.

Painting seems a bit ambitious by the landlord - that's generally maintenance unless you intentionally or negligently caused painting damage.

 

Go to tribunal.

Tribunal will ask for ingoing, routine and outgoing inspection reports and photos and compare them. If these are not present, the PM/LL has lost already.

A certain amount will be classified as fair wear and tear based on duration you were there, age of property, etc.

If something needs to be repaired, or brought to a reasonable amount of cleanliness / condition, then you'll need to cover this.

 

Basically this, but they wouldn't go to tribunal since they would need a condition report completed and signed at the minimum.

 

Contact IFT on 1300 795 534 and lodge your own claim.

 

+1 to above comments
Unfortunately I guess this is causing an issue with bond return, something "some" Pm's feel they have over you, anticipate you'll either do what they ask or surrender the bond to avoid being mucked around defending etc, like a speeding ticket etc, after all they're getting paid regardless, for you it's just an inconvenient waste of time/frustration.

 

you as a tenant don't have to take photos, they have to take photos to prove it was clean in the first place. Do they have a condition report of the property? Whether or not they gave you one, do they have one? This will make all the difference.