Hi Rioters,
I’d like to start a discussion on a particular subject – I have been renting for a little bit too long, and I have felt irritated and frustrated by the (seeming) imbalance between tenant and landlord.
Just for example, I lived in a home without functioning heating or cooling for nearly two months (it was broken when we moved in) that took nearly two months to get the repair completed (it was “under warranty” and the repair company that held the warranty didn’t seem in a rush to fix it). Also, moved in during a heatwave only to discover the pool was green with algae and completely unusable (it was cleaned 10 days later after the heatwave subsided).
Meanwhile, even with hassles such as this on the part of the tenant, I cannot help but feel that property managers, and by extension, landlords, expect the sun, moon, and stars from their tenants. Especially upon move-out.
Things I have been subject to: inspections every three months (allowed in NSW but still onerous); having to call a second professional cleaner (at extra expense) because the first cleaning company did an “inferior job” for the move-out clean; being asked to allow contractors to come in to prepare an estimate for work the owners want to do after we move out (after being told we are being booted because the owners are returning); making a special trip to Bunnings to replace a SINGLE light globe because one had blown when we were moving out; being asked to return a cheap set of shelves that was left in the garage by the owners (we never asked them to) that our movers accidentally moved; being taken to task for a garden that was not immaculately clear of all weeds even though we had utilized a gardener; being asked to take measurements to determine what furniture will fit when the owners return; allowing a contractor in for 4 1/2 hours (7 am start time) at request of the owner for a repair the owners wanted to be completed prior to their move-in date; et cetera.
I don’t mind helping out, but I feel that I’m always on the back foot; being nice and accommodating when the favour is rarely repaid–because the landlords and property managers rarely do the same for us and rarely seem to cut tenants much slack.
So, what do you all think? What sort of ridiculous requests have you been subjected to when renting? Do we really have to make our home available for inspection every three months? What sorts of requests or demands have you felt comfortable pushing back on? How or why?
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