call the tenant's union -- www.tuv.org.au

wow, that's harsh.

that should be www.tuv.org.au

thanks danielz, will check it.

you might have to go to a tribunal -- had a similar thing happen in an old place, got a couple of months' free rent for the inconvenience.

That's fucked, dude!

Good luck with it ambo. I'm sure you'll be fine.

have emailed the union. thanks for the support guys.

How long was the lease period? The 60 days (eviction) period should be for periodic tenancies (ie. when there's no agreed term). If you've signed a lease for a fixed period, then you can seek compensation (it's effectively a breach of contract). Tenants Union can give you the low down.

On a completely different topic. If you live in a flat where nobody's names are on the lease and the landlord lives far away. Do you have the right to get things done like plumbing etc, and send them the bill?

nup. none of you have entered into a contract with the landlord, so s/he can tell you to get fucked and probably kick you out with no notice if they want.

You are, however, permitted under common law to leave a turd in every room upon your eventual departure.

I think as a squatter (which you probably are, legally) you are required to leave a turd in every room.

and burn the place to the ground.

of course turding the room just affects any cleaners/wreckers, and not the landlord.

you should be able to travel to the landlords abode and leave a turn in every room there.

Unless the landlord/agent is going to ask for ID, just ask them to fix it. They can't complain if you're paying the rent. I think it's an implied contract?

It's due to their own neglect that they haven't bothered to sign a new lease with us. So They have some obligation to keep the house maintained. We are paying full rent each month, that's all they care about, and us to be honest. If something fucks up like plumbing and electricity, we're worried that if we contact them they'll make us sign a proper lease and jack up the rent. Because we are in a prime area where the rent is going up for the neighboring terrace houses.

If something fucks up like plumbing and electricity, we're worried that if we contact them they'll make us sign a proper lease and jack up the rent

this is worrying me at the moment too. my name is on the lease but the lease expired a year ago and i'm just month-to-monthing now. rent hasn't gone up since i moved in two years ago, and now it looks like we need major plumbing work.

fuxsake.

I'm assuming plumbing is really expensive. It's not something we can take into our own hands and pay for. The plumbing has fixed itself for now, but it tends to get blocked every now and then.
Does anyone know roughly how much it costs to fix blocked drains?

so what are they actually going you for? your bond, replacement of the carpet??

We gave up on the bond as the carpets were pretty bad. So I guess it's a replacement carpeting job that might cost more than the bond?

What do you know about rental insurance for the landlord?

Also is it odd there is no amount on the summons?

We had 3 inspections in the final 6 months where we were told nothing was wrong except for some cobwebs. Agents were pretty useless. I don't think they're part of the claim here. Landlord has gone above them.

Also we think the landlord is hoarding our mail. We were lucky to even know we had a summons. One housemate happened to go back to check and found his in there. Left the rest of ours then the next day they're all gone. Maybe we're paranoid. MAYBE!

http://www.tuv.org.au/articles/files/resources/Defending_a_compensation_claim_RT_FS_052010.pdf

There should definitely be an amount on the summons, at least they can't charge you a new price for the carpet they have to take into consideration depreciation.

It sounds bullshit, can you prove there were 3 inspections? letters or texts from real estate saying they were coming to inspect?

I guess the landlord thinks its worth a shot..

Ring Tenants Union of Victoria

did they know you had pets or were you not supposed to?

If the landlord is claiming the cost of repairs or
replacement of property or fixtures, you should get
your own quotes. Also, point out if the property was
old or worn out, or if the damage was due to
‘fair wear and tear’, for which tenants are not liable.

Just chasing stuff up Pumpkin. The lack of information on the summons it very weird. So it's difficult to get quotes when we're not entirely sure what they're trying to claim.

I am trying to get letters/condition reports from the agent but as per usual you leave a message and they call if it benefits them. Head/Brick Wall.

Let's see how the tenants union convo goes!

Schooled it, got an adjournment. So finally we have the documents for the claim. Now an argument must be formed.

We're at the end of our lease and are moving on, so our current house is up for inspection. I'm a little worried about a bunch of people off the street traipsing through our house with all our music gear around. Has anyone ever had any problems with stuff going missing from inspections?

(For the record, our landlords are lovely. This is just the most current real estate-related thread)

Has anyone ever had any problems with stuff going missing from inspections?

no, but it certainly encouraged me to photograph all my serial numbers

Surely you're not thinking of letting them into your house while you're not there, are you?

We're at the end of our lease and are moving on, so our current house is up for inspection. I'm a little worried about a bunch of people off the street traipsing through our house with all our music gear around. Has anyone ever had any problems with stuff going missing from inspections?

A mate of mine had his house open for inspection where he was a tennant. Someoin came thru and took their shoes off at the door, then left with my mates new shoes and left their shitty old ones there. Shoes!

I once had a landlord and inspecting potential new tenants walk into my bedroom while I was in bed (thankfully I was 'decent'). It was totally not allowed officially (''I knocked on the front door and no-one answered'' was his defence) but he was a cowboy and did what he liked. He was going to totally roger us tenants when we moved out, for not only the bond but to replace the whole carpet throughout and some fixtures and wanted us to pay for the lot, at quality new prices, until we got a lawyer's letter (from one housemate's old job). While we still lost the bond, he dropped the extra expenses very quickly.

Focking Stuart.

You're on my shitlist

Not a complaint about my landlord, but we just moved house, and hired a cleaner to do the cleaning for us. They did a shit job. Now they're not returning our phone calls/emails. Thankfully we've not been invoiced for the job yet.

I'm really fucked off that we have to do the cleaning again. Thankfully our landlord is awesome and understands it's not our fault.

I was waiting for it...and now it's here!

So I got the new place and am trying to organise connection. It's a new property, a large place that's been subdivided.

So immediately, Origin doesn't like my address and says it doesn't exist in the system. I explain the situation and say it's a new property and you probably have an old address (I'm A/540, old address is 540 - 544). Origin say they can't organise a connection with a meter number. I ring real estate agent, who say the meter is locked with a key that Citipower have. I ring Citipower, who say they can't come out to look at the meter without quoting a meter number. I ring the real estate agent, explaining the situation and surely the landlord must know a lot number or something? Nope. Told to sort it out myself.

AAAAARGH! I will be moving into a house with no power!

to cut a long story short, residence needs work, pester property manager who feigns interest, gets to the point of a big hole in the bathroom floor, leaking bay window, fucked dishwasher, jammed front door etc etc. Meeting is organised and owner says he'll organise quotes( i stupidly take time off work to meet subbies ) and then proceeds to take on work himself, ( he's a cook) trashes the place and ensuing work is less than ordinary workmanship which takes two months to complete. I request two weeks rent compensation to which property manager agrees on and then renegs this results in a notice to vacate. Trade off is if i pay outstanding rent i'll receive a new 12 month lease with no increase. I respond with a request for the longeroom wall to be painted ( where bay window was previously) and am told painters are onto it. I come home to find the owner and his better half with paint from arsehole to breakfast and not a drop sheet to be seen not to mention the paint they've spilt on a $ 2500 painting.......stay tuned !

Straight to VCAT, do not pass go, major entertainment alert

Ashtray. I used to work for Origin in that department and you are fucked without the meter number of if you can get a NMI. It may be a round about way but the old tenants will have a NMI on their bill. You'd be hard pressed to get it though. You'll have gas at least.

I have just signed a new lease for a new house and the agent is a fucking legend. Early days but we sat talking about how he makes he own wine and olives. Will make house visits to our current house to sign docs and talk shit. Got really interested when my girlfriend started talking about indigenous japanese. Fixing heaps of shit before we move in. Freeballin'

Exactly Davel, will keep you posted.

King_rat, the problem is there are no old tenants. It's a brand new house :(

I'm going to try and take a look this weekend to see if there are any meters at the front or the back of the property.

Brand new set of apartments?? Then I am pretty sure all the meters will be locked up as they said and it won't make a difference which energy company you call. You can go and try check it out but it's going to be a real shit.