Tenants threatening tribunal

Removed the broken glass and boarded up the window this morning.

To the tenants credit, now that they have clamed down they are being pretty good.

The side of the guys little finger was cut deep. He had previously cut it and suffered nerve damage so although now he can't feel the tip of his little finger at all anymore, he wasn't really too concerned about it and has decided not to get any operation done on it.

I took a picture of the window and accidentally pressed the video button and got the whole conversation recorded with him when he said that he was "heavy handed" with the window while trying to open it and he was "out of it first thing in the morning" and that the window may have actually been "locked" when he tried to push it open. He also said he wasn't going to sue us or anything.

To be fair I don't think I'll need the video because they have really changed their tune now and I don't think they'll be trying to take legal action. But hey if they do change their story later on then I guess that it will just be a lucky accident that I have all of that recorded. :)

Their tenancy is up 10th of Dec, I think they want to pay all rent owing so they don't get a bad reference and can find a new place. We knew about the 2 months notice, we are about to give it officially but they were told about the 6 months only tenancy agreement when they first inspected the property.

So hopefully it all works out :)
 
Fun times ahead I think. Been talking over text msg today so at least it's documented. Good idea to document repairs too so they can't say I never addressed their issues.

Tenant is saying they will pay half the rent owing this week. I said I would repair the window and cover those costs. Let's face it if they don't pay their rent they won't pay for the repairs anyway.

They are now saying they don't want to go to tribunal.

In my mind it's not worth the hassle anyway. Their tenancy agreement is up in Nov I think. So hopefully we can just ride it out until then. But I suspect it will all probably end at the tribunal regardless.

Tenant did mention it was the same hand that he had previously cut badly with a band saw five years ago. My guess is that his hand doesn't function 100% so he slipped and hurt it again.

By they way they are getting $750 per week from the dole. Makes you feel great when they get your tax money and then they turn around and do this. Rent is only $350 per week and they still can't manage it.

Oh wells the joys of property investment.

Tim I assume your self managing? Would you consider using a property manager in the future? I was inclined to self manage but am a bit freaked out of our situation:confused:
 
Tim I assume your self managing? Would you consider using a property manager in the future? I was inclined to self manage but am a bit freaked out of our situation:confused:

??? If anything this is a classic example where a hands-on approach to handling the matter probably saved it from escalating further.

My guess is a PM would have made everything less clear, more antagonistic and incentivised the tenant to pursue the matter against a 'faceless' landlord.
 
Tim I assume your self managing? Would you consider using a property manager in the future? I was inclined to self manage but am a bit freaked out of our situation:confused:

Self managing is fine if you have the right attitude towards it. If you are easily stressed I would recommend against it.
 
??? If anything this is a classic example where a hands-on approach to handling the matter probably saved it from escalating further.

My guess is a PM would have made everything less clear, more antagonistic and incentivised the tenant to pursue the matter against a 'faceless' landlord.

Agreed. I think by reasoning with them it brought out their reasonable side.

I didn't let them walk all over me. I challenged them about using this as a reason for getting out of paying their rent. I also explained to them the situation with safety glass not being required. I validated their difficulties but also reiterated their responsibilities and also reasurred them that I was willing to meet them half way and I would be following through with my responsibilities too.

So I think it could have been handled a lot worse.
 
Their tenancy is up 10th of Dec, I think they want to pay all rent owing so they don't get a bad reference and can find a new place. We knew about the 2 months notice, we are about to give it officially but they were told about the 6 months only tenancy agreement when they first inspected the property.

So hopefully it all works out :)

Check the lease but (in NSW) only 21 days notice is required to be given to terminate the lease which is coming to the end of the fixed term.
 
Agreed. I think by reasoning with them it brought out their reasonable side.

I didn't let them walk all over me. I challenged them about using this as a reason for getting out of paying their rent. I also explained to them the situation with safety glass not being required. I validated their difficulties but also reiterated their responsibilities and also reasurred them that I was willing to meet them half way and I would be following through with my responsibilities too.

So I think it could have been handled a lot worse.

Want to manage my Properties :)
Comes down to the Property manager's personality I believe, if they can't manage people then problems occur.
Also If you don't give your Property manager enough wiggle room for issues then problems occur, ie meeting half way etc.
 
If they're on the dole get them on Centrepay, so they don't have the option of not paying you.

I'm not trying to hijack this one but thought I would let you all know that Centrepay actually charges .99c per transaction (which you can not legally charge the tenant) and the tenant can cancel it at any time :). It's actually quite a flawed system!
 
Having recently seen how the tribunal dealt with a landlord/manager v tenant scenario for the first time as a business owner I would personally looking to be cutting losses very quickly and moving on. If you have a fight on your hands then the odds are not fair at all for the property owner I would say.
 
Update:

Tenants agreed to sign over bond pay the extra $300 rent arrears the bond doesn't cover, carpet clean, clean the house, and pest control and move out yesterday.

Instead they've paid nothing, haven't signed over bond yet, haven't cleaned the carpet, haven't cleaned the house, haven't done pest control, and haven't moved out.

Went there today to show a potential new tenant through thinking they would be 90% moved out, not even 1% even though they said they would just need 1 extra day to move out.

Add to that the place is a disgusting mess. They leave the dog in the laundry so there is **** everywhere and the whole house smells like ****.

Dirty walls, peeled off paint, marks everywhere from the kids, doesn't look like anything has ever been cleaned there.

God I ****ing hate some people.

Dole bludging **** wits.

They said they would be gone by the end of today. I'm not convinced.

Will be heading over there with my dad who is a part owner in the property tomorrow.

I'm in the mood to rip their **** out of the house and dump it on the front lawn.

Can't wait to black list this human garbage.
 
Hey Tim. I'm feeling for you. I've only had a few bad tenants, but I understand your frustration.

What do you mean when you say they "agreed to sign over the bond and pay the extra $300"? Was this at tribunal? Or did they just verbally say they would do it? Sorry if it is further back in the thread. I've not re-read it.

I know you probably already know this, bit if not, then make sure you get in before them with the bond form and claim the lot. Let them fight for any of it and if you lodge first they have to pay for the tribunal fee to try to get some back (unless the rules have changed).

You would know that you can lodge the form without their signature. I'd be doing it today electronically if you can.
 
Have it all in writing their agreement to pay what they owe and leave on the 24th/10th etc...

Then yesterday they said they needed another day, and would pay an extra days rent (which of course they won't).

Looked at the place today and they are no where near moved out.

When we go around tomorrow the plan is to get them to sign their bond over, if not we will lodge it and if they don't dispute it within 2 weeks it automatically gets refunded to us. They don't have a leg to stand on if they choose to dispute it.

Tomorrow I'll also be informing them if they don't pay what they owe they will be getting black listed.

I really hope they don't pay up for everything so I can black list them.

They said their new rental property is $150 a week less (so $200 per week) so I'll be ringing centrelink monday to make sure they are informed of their reduction in rent so their rental assistance gets reduced.

I'll also be reporting to centrelink that the guy there has previously mentioned to me that he has worked before without declaring it to centrelink.

Hopefully they investigate all of that and find something to nail them with.

I may actually wait a bit before letting centrelink know about the reduction in rent that they are paying, just in case they don't declare it themselves for a period of time and end up scamming centrelink out of hundreds of dollars they weren't entitled to. Then once I finally report it in a month centrelink will be able to throw the book at them.

Anyone have any other ideas how I can get some revenge on these low life a holes?
 
Anyone have any other ideas how I can get some revenge on these low life a holes?
Personally, I'd concentrate on getting them out (firmly, but legally) and moving on. What's that Buddhist saying...something about holding on to anger is like holding a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else - never works because you are the one who gets burned.
There are more useful things to contemplate and arrange instead of revenge.
 
Personally, I'd concentrate on getting them out (firmly, but legally) and moving on. What's that Buddhist saying...something about holding on to anger is like holding a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else - never works because you are the one who gets burned.
There are more useful things to contemplate and arrange instead of revenge.

You probably have a point. But I'll still report them to centrelink, and black list them, and then leave it at that.

Letting things go works to a point, but then you've got to stop letting people walk all over you.

We've been very nice and reasonable, but now my patience is well and truly gone.

Will be interesting when I confront them tomorrow to get all their **** out of my property.
 
Just be careful though. Until they hand the keys back, it is not "your" house and they have legal rights.

We had a similar situation where we issued notice for them to be out by midnight on a certain date, and I arranged for the police to come with me at 7.30am next morning (crazed druggie - hubby couldn't come and I wasn't going on my own).

They moved out through the day, so I cancelled the police booking but RTA told me that until they hand in the keys, I had no right to change the locks or take possession.

I was NEVER going to get the keys, so I got a locksmith anyway and started the clean up. Karma is a b!tch though. One of the dropkick mates dropped his keys. There were some expensive keys on that keyring, looked like maybe safe keys or work keys, unable to be recut without authority type of keys, plus a remote car key (couple of hundred I believe to buy another). Into the bin they went, with pleasure.
 
Letting things go works to a point, but then you've got to stop letting people walk all over you.

.

Maybe get someone else to go,if you think it may blow up in your face or a least have a witness with you and tape the whole process,you don't want to be the one to end up with a custodial sentence or as I say to a lot of people
"each has karma as their own"..good luck..
 
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