What would you do?

[regrow]

Hi All

I have recently had new tennants move in on a 12 month lease.

They were kind enough to let the PM know about some large cracks in the walls. On visiting the IP I had noticed they had installed the internet via data cables in 2 rooms that they installed themselves. Have they not heard of wireless internet!

Now my problem is that they punched small holes in the roof to run the cables

I have had a word with the PM and she did not know about it till the visit either.

My question is should I tell the PM that they remove the cables and repair the roof in the 2 rooms or let it go till the end of the lease?

Personally I would like it repaired now as it would be harder to get it repaired out of the bond. What would you do?

Regrow

 

[alexlee]

Tell the tenants they're not allowed to just punch holes in your place without prior notice. Then ask for compensation.
Alex

 

[Glenn]

When my tenants move in, I look them in the eyes and explain to them that I see them as adults capable of making choices. I will not conduct mid-tenancy inspections. At the end of the tenancy, the property is to be returned to me in the same condition as which it was let, with an allowance for fair wear and tear.

Things like the odd scratch in a timber floor I consider fair wear and tear. Holes punched in the ceiling without prior consent are considered damage.

I would explain this to you tenant, and also tell him that you will take no action during the tenancy.

At the end of the tenancy, I would have a handyman patch any holes and repaint the entire ceiling, with the cost to come out of their bond....it's the only way to get the ceiling back to the original condition.

Glenn

 

[Gools]

So the holes in the roof would be about 6mm across or so?
It would cost next to nothing to repair I'm guessing.
Leave it till the finish. They obviously find it handy to have them so I wouldn't want to be annoying them so early on by making them get rid of their cabling.

Andrew

 

[regrow]

Thanks for the replys.

If they had only asked I could have had the cabling installed down the cavity in the wall and a wall plate put in.

They said that their father is a builder so he would fix it when they leave. Not sure I would like them to repair and panit though.

Maybe I could get the roof repaired and have the cable rerun down the wall at their cost.

Regards

Regrow

 

[wylie]

I would be asking them to have their builder father fix it now, and inspect it to your satisfaction. If it is left a mess, decide whether you want to have them get it fixed properly now, or at the end of their lease.

I had tenants once decide to remove the rotary clothes line and drill several .5cm holes in a bedroom VJ wall to install a shelf. Problem is VJ walls are one thickness so we were left with a hole in two bedrooms and a really ugly shelf.

This chap was young and learning what not to do in a rental situation. He paid for a new clothes line and we hit him for the cost of fixing the wall. We had a professional painter patch it only because he had come back to fix a ceiling peeling problem and we passed on the cost of the wall patch (not a lot) to the tenant.

Tenant was okay with it all, but lost most of his $500 bond (fair while ago). I'll bet he takes a moment to think before doing such things now.

 

[skater]

Get the PM to tell them that it needs to be fixed NOW by a tradesman & repainted by a painter AT THEIR COST. Don't wait & take it from the bond, because if there are any more issues you could very well need the whole bond to resolve them.

 

[steveadl]

Since you've said you're willing to put cables and outlets down the wall - I'd tell the tenant you will have this done, but expect that the roof be repaired and repainted, but I'd have a maintenance person do it at their expense, not them or their father etc.

 

[tubs]

You have to tell them now, at least according to the residential tenancies act in Vic (so presumably other states).

Once you as landlord become aware of damage, you have, from memory 21 days to inform the tenant that you want it actioned. If you are aware of it, and do nothing, they can pull this law on you and not pay you anything.

It MAY be enough to tell them to fix it by the end of the tenancy (after all, if you cut off their internet you'll have some unhappy tenants). But you have to take action.

Check out the relevant act in your state. Dont ask your PM, odds are they're probably not aware that any such document exists!