QLD Water in lower level.

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by 13monthsinaleakingboat, 13th Feb, 2020.

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  1. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    Hi I’ve just moved into an older 1960’s house, which was advertised as recently renovated with dry space in the back beyond the laundry bar and garage at the front in the lower level. It’s not dry but saturated regularly with dirt piles flooding in with the water whenever it rains . We’ve found gaps in the walls and corners where we can see light coming through as a possible entry point the verandahs front and back when wet leak largely through to that lower level as well.

    We have consulted our real estate as several issues presented like painted shut doors and closets made unusable, rust in the bath, a shower floor sealed only to one side like it’s dissected in half so the other shows stains with use that are hard to budge. Paint over the bathroom tiles that washed off in using the shower to show old mould buildup has existed prior. No clothesline to hang clothes , and security awning that squeal and shudder like vibrating rotor blades in the wind, cupboard doors that fall off and latches that don’t exist or also fall off. The place presented much better for showing but on moving in more and more issues started showing themselves.

    ive fine what I can to cope with and request help with everything but the real estate is full of assurances but no actioning.

    They we’re getting someone in to evaluate the water issue but now email back that the owner had declined to waterproof. We stated we needed a clean home without plumbing , mould, or major issues due to child’s health condition being compromised severely by these issues in the past and yet nothing was disclosed to us. On lodging our entry report they withheld it for two months and crossed out Our written observations , harassing us to then sign their own Re-amended version? I doubt that was legal?

    What can we do to resolve the rank smell and damp under the house please ? We clean it up and it’s back with the Next rain event.

    Can we appeal to anyone to have the owner forced to fix this ? Or can we petition to end lease on these grounds please? We believe it must be a breach but need to know how to proceed legally as tenants please ?

    Hoping someone can help .
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: 13th Feb, 2020
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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  3. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    Yes :) the obviously path and we have sent off video and photographs of what it’s like now and along with what it was like on entry, along with a list of other issues to the rta for their advice on tenants rights , owners responsibilities etc.

    They don’t allow much of an upload when you lodge an issue online so sending express post however It would be nice to hear from other viewpoints in particular if anyone has experienced similar and what they have done or had done by the rta or owners to remedy the situation.
     
  4. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    ok so its june 4 months on from this post and noone on property chat can offer any further advie or help? how disapointing given i've een response detailing steps to take for other renter/tenants on here i honestly expected / dared hope for a little more help.Is this site geared at assisting only the owners and agencies with their tenants and not for assisting tenants then?
    The rta has taken its sweet time still not getting back to me and this on top of a prior agency /agent breach at our previous tenancy which we esca;alted into giving notice to leave rather than tolerating, weve had enough of the leaning toward protecting owners from dutifuly conforming to their responsibilities. Some of you are good we just never seem to be able to fish you out from the rotten tomatoes.
    If at any time ANYONE feels they have something helpful to contribute we're still waiting possibly hopeless;y in vain to receive some help please. If i odnt hear soon i will be forced to lodge a breach and request to have the qcat intervene given the rta seem notto have acknowledged we even sent them paperwork or photos and videos. Its getting beyond ridiculous to try to rent and uphold a landlord or agency to the same or similar decency and respect for compliancy to tenancy law as we uphold as tenants. I'm past tired of wearing the fight of defending against abuse or undue allegation and negligence of lanlord investors who prefer to cast shade on tenants than to uphold their own responsibilities to a tenancy. Unfortunately i have no choice but to continue to rent or id do evrything in my power to never rent again this is unacceptable .
     
  5. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

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    Think you might have posted this in the wrong area. This section is where you go "hi I'm xxx and loving this site". This is the first time I've been here in years.

    You might want to ask the mods to move it somewhere more visible, like renovations or maintenance or buying/selling

    As for your issue. I can't help as never experienced anything similar
     
  6. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Need more info really...

    What will it cost to break the lease? Maybe break the lease based on false advertising.
    How long is the lease for?
    What does the lease contract look like and what are the terms you signed to?

    In most states unless it is making the place unlivable, I think the laws tends to be erring towards "bad luck". You therefore need to prove that this is dangerous to health etc



    The Y-man
     
  7. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    @13monthsinaleakingboat - You put the issue in the introductions area of the forum rather than property management or maintenance issues.

    The area affected is a storeroom/garage/non-habitable area. Always store your belongings off the floor just in case it is a watercourse.
     
  8. The Y-man

    The Y-man Moderator Staff Member

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    Great point - I have moved it and put a QLD tag on it.

    The Y-man
     
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  9. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    As per @Scott No Mates ;)
    Looks like the owner may have done some of their own renovations, yep shat happens.
    I hope the rent is cheap, looks like one of @datto cousins were the previous tenant judging by the single spinner burnout :p
    No pic's of the bath complaint ?
    Sounds like a very old building, did you inspect it prior, or just not notice tbings painted shut ?
    You want results, stop paying rent (claim covid difficulty) and remain behind if you really want attention !
    Don't sign a modified entry report, period !
    Hit the managing agent up for an alternative property or no cost to break lease.....
    Not advise (you may have a slum lord owner).
    Good luck
     
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  10. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    hi thanks new here and not alot of time to mess around with a sick child to tend but ill try that if i can figure how to :)
     
  11. Trainee

    Trainee Well-Known Member

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    Hit return every so often. More people might be able to read it.
     
  12. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    ive no idea on what it will cost but im not paying this time. i was driven to near suicide between the last two places it took 18 + months to recover from mould illness my lung is 3 times collapsed and im asthmatic my son has a rare condition with specialists advising his need for low allergy and no existing aggravants to further health, they have records of the effect on my child when realties disregard his genuine health needs , i offered a letter to the real estate they didnt take it and crossed off our comments on the entry condition as well as pleas and advice as forewarning that we required a rental free of mould , prior drug use , seweredge and plumbing or other health exacerbations in rentals, they were made well aware ahead of and while recommending viewings to us. Our prior real estate to this failed to comply to their side of our term contract selling the house without giving us due warning or notice. We paid to leave early because they wanted us out in two days and the rta was not very helpful with information or advice and failed to advise us to breach them.
    We signed a 13 month lease here because it was very close to xmas and the owner demanded it, the place is unusable on the lower level i have to mask up to do laundry or clean there , im shoveling silty dirt and water out when it rains or the water tank overflows in the back and runs in, the only tank drainage points are a non working pump they wont help with , and a narrow pipe that overshoots the drain its meantto go in and comes through the other side of the lower level.

    They knew at the time of application and inspection i wanted to use the area as a classroom art space and storage spot and advertised it as DRYSPACE? the bar , laundry ,garage and allegedly dry space of cement is always getting wet, has pre exisitng flood damage they claimed was simply age, power points get wet and im scared to use them. The owner investor is new to the property and declined to waterproof?My asthma is back and my sons respiratory and allergies are too, we got advice to take long timed humidity readings at different times , record them and lodge with a complaint of health compromised. im doing that now and have had a hihgly recommended expensive and vouched for dehumidifier running in the driest spot for 6 hours and its barely desaturated by 3 percent. I need help and advice for sure .
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 4th Jun, 2020
  13. Trainee

    Trainee Well-Known Member

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    Get a lawyer instead of fishing for free advice on random forums.
     
  14. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    Advice was given to go to RTA. (I assume that’s the QLD equivalent of consumer affairs?)

    Your forum name sounds like you’ve been in the house for over a year now. Is that correct?

    My advice: it looks terrible. If they haven’t fixed it yet, don’t renew the lease.
     
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  15. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    yes the house that jack built with a stove vent over a bench top and a stove in a spot with no vent ? its all very unusual but as i said we had to move after a breach by prior real estate left us little time to move, and we didnt have much choice in our price bracket.
    We pay 405 pw for this and cant use half of it not the pump or solar as neither work, we were rushed through inspections with ten minutes or less no looking in cupboards etc allowed and a crowd of other lookers to try and weave through to see anything, only had time to lodge many applications hoping we got shelter before xmas .
    I conceded to accepting because the agent was very apologetic about the damage and said he would marlk it on the entry that it wasnt even bond cleaned bu then they held our lodged entry for alost two months before giving it back refusing to sign it and claiming we damaged what they knew was pre-existing.
    I had to tdrive my own truck here unload and clean the exit rentalplay ping pong between unhelpful rta and prior agency , while trying to set up internet here which also took 2 months to get, they assured us theyd sign it and get back promptly but i had to complain to rta to get the original document we lodged to them and then they had marked off most of our comments and observations including the ones notiing my sons health requirements.
    They've just been very odd and agressively rude to us since we were approved and noted all the indescrepencies and asked for the owner to attend to the most urgent of them. The owner has declined to repair the most damaging items. I believe the last few have been slum lord owners and im a tenant who likes to help maintain the properties to liveable and clean best but because im a volunteer carer and educator not in paid employment i am the one judged without cause..
     
  16. Trainee

    Trainee Well-Known Member

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    You were breached at your last place because......
     
  17. 13monthsinaleakingboat

    13monthsinaleakingboat Member

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    unfotunately you cant just walk away from a lease/ contract ? my legal obligation as tenant is to try to resolve amicably. Iwant and need advice on how to breach them. I dont know much about this site or how it works let alone bumping? im 50 and too tied up with health issues and legalities of closing a fundraising association and tending sick and disabled children so i dont usually have alot of time to shoot the breeze . I waited patiently checking in for responses and help but to no avail, and have lodged complaint with the rta but they were no real help. seem more willing to defend owners in the wrong than help tenants.
    Of course i want to move and will bu t i deserve to keep a good rental name given i've done no wrong and not everyone has a spare few thousand to affford to move on a whim or on necessity whenever either arises. We're stuck until someone gives the advice i need to lodge effective complaint, to give breach them and serve notice of intent to leave.
     
  18. Trainee

    Trainee Well-Known Member

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    And you expect to get advice from a anonymous post on a random forum? Then leave it for four months?

    why havent you talked to a lawyer?
     
  19. Antoni0

    Antoni0 Well-Known Member

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    Get in contact with Tenants Qld, I would assume RTA will be busy dealing with all the Covid-19 problems first, where people might end up with nowhere to live. About TQ — Tenants Queensland
     
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  20. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    When did your lease begin?
     

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