This is a continuation of my old "Taking over The Lease from FILTHY Housemate" thread …
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/184948#comment-2601977
So I have expressed interest in taking over the rental lease which is currently solely in my housemate's name. The property manager has asked me to fill out an application form.
They are saying that the handover process would be such that they will do a final inspection with my housemate on the day her lease ends, and then do a handover with me the following day.
The application form mentions "The applicant ….. declares that they have inspected the property", which I am not happy to sign off on since I don't yet know what state my housemate will leave the place in… I have raised this with the property manager, and asked if I should fill out the inspection sheet/checklist and submit it with my application and she replied with:
"When it Mentions The applicant ….. declares that they have inspected the property. Means that you have seen the property and seen what it looks like and what it offers.
Some people don’t inspect the property when applying for one and at ring partners if you don’t view the property you cant get an application form.
An Inspection Sheet is not provided to any person who is applying for the property. It is done when the Property Has been offer and accepted and you move in part of the handover of the Property."
Is this true? I just don't want to be held liable for the damage to the property after I move out. I want to to clear about the damages that were there when I took over the lease. How should I go about doing this in order to cover myself?
She also said that, during the inspection on the last day of my housemate's contract, if they find that she has not cleaned up to her and the Landlords standards then she will be instructed to remedy them. Now, considering that this same property manager has been doing quarterly routine inspections and my housemate's cleanliness standards to her were satisfactory, I am not confident that the place will be left in a clean state as such.
Is how it works. When you take over the lease (aka enter a new rental contract) you get a pre-filled Condition Report by the property manager which lists the state/faults etc. You then fill up your column for the same items and submit the Condition Report within 24 or 48 hours of moving in. Take lots of pics, keep one copy with you, one goes to the property manager. You filing it adds the - you read what she says about a property, and then you add your own point or any fault you find extra. If she files it, that means she has gone through that report and agrees with it. She can't come back after the end of the lease and say "I don't agree with your condition report".