Tenant Requested Repairs - Tenant User Error - Rental Agency Now Requesting I Pay Callout Fee

DaneD on 23/01/2020 - 16:23
Last edited 23/01/2020 - 22:37

Hi Team,

Essentially issue mirrors the title (I'm in QLD).

A new tenant moved in and was having issues with a buzzing sound coming through the intercom & requested repair through my rental agency. I agreed (makes sense to repair things that are broken) and asked my rental agency to organise repairs. I have been using the same rental agency for ~6 years.

Intercom company visited the property & found the tenant simply left the mute button on hence the buzzing. The rental agency contacted the tenant & request they pay the invoice since it was simply a user error. However, the tenant is refusing to pay as no user manual was provided (there is legitimately 2 buttons on the intercom talk and mute). The rental agent has since requested I pay the invoice instead ~$200.

I am of the opinion it is reasonable to expect that the tenant would attempt to have a look, listen and even press both buttons before requesting a repair. Furthermore, I find it pretty rough I am now being asked to pay the invoice. However, I am not keen on going through an RTA disagreement resolution process over this amount of money.

TLDR - Tenant request repairs to intercom, user error was found, tenant refusing to pay callout fee ~$200, rental agency is asking I pay.

Thoughts?

Update - Thanks for swift replies team. I will pay the bill, tell rental agency to be more proactive in the future & don't hire guys with ~$200 callout fee. Thanks :).

Resolved feel free to close.

Poll Options expired

  • 5
    Pay half myself & half from the rental agency
  • 12
    Pay half myself & half from the tenant
  • 14
    Ask the rental agency to pay the invoice as I am not at fault & tenant said no
  • 131
    Request the tenant pays again & go through RTA if they refuse.
  • 168
    Pay the callout fee myself.
Financial

closed Comments

  • Ocker on 23/01/2020 - 17:31
    +3

    Once had a tenant call our agent and requested a handyman/electrician to call and change a standard light globe! (dead serious)

    • Seraphin7 on 23/01/2020 - 17:42

      Unfortunately this is all too common. Beyond being genuinely and generally useless, this comes down to the bullsh1t attitude many have these days of it's not my place so therefore (1) I'm not going to go to the slightest effort to remedy an issue, and (2) I'm not going to pay for the lightbulb (or any other two bit part).

      These are the same sorts of people that take the lightbulbs when they leave, or anything else that's not nailed down.

      • Slippery Fish on 24/01/2020 - 18:08

        In qld in commercial the electrician has to do it.

      • belongsinforums on 25/01/2020 - 10:45

        Conversely my agent or owner didn't bother replacing batteries in an AC remote before renting it out. Now I found out remote is broken as i spent one minute changing batteries.

      • The General on 25/01/2020 - 12:30

        I had a tenant once have a plumber attend because she could not remember that the hot tap was on the left and cold on the right (which is standard), due to faded labels. Plumber had to put new cufflinks on them. She then wanted him to return and put different ones on as these ones were not prominent enough.

        That was during her first week. And the pathetic requests just continued from there.

        The rent went up at the end of that contract.

        Oh, and she did take the light bulbs with her when moved out a couple of years later.

    • steven6 on 23/01/2020 - 18:56
      +3

      Did you at least provide them with a user manual on how to operate the light switch? j/k

      • Ocker on 23/01/2020 - 19:20
        -6

        In hindsight I should have asked my agent what was the nationality of the tenants (lol)

    • bulletmark on 24/01/2020 - 08:44

      I'm surprised that you are surprised! You can't have had many tenants because this and similar trivial issues are requested all the time.

      • Ocker on 24/01/2020 - 11:16
        +2

        I'm surprised you managed to interpret my post as being "surprised"!! Been renting my portfolio of properties for about 25 years and I could post a list of strange requests.

        • Hunter14 on 24/01/2020 - 13:39
          +6

          I'd like to hear them please.

    • Pineapples on 27/01/2020 - 09:24

      In the tenant's defence (RE lightbulbs etc), I think there is sometimes a concern about breaking something when making minor repairs, then being responsible for it. I had a light fixture break when I changed a bulb (not because I'm useless, but because the bulb had been in a dodgy there forever and a day). It then needed an electrician to come replace it. Thankfully the landlord was understanding and copped the fee, but could've easily sent it my way (especially since I was replacing a working bulb with a smart bulb)

  • Almost Banned on 23/01/2020 - 17:32

    I assume that the agent called the repair service.
    I assume then that the bill was issued to the agent.
    When push comes to shove the agent will have to pay.
    Whether they choose to then indemnify themselves against those costs from money payable to you, or whether they pursue them from the tenant, will determine how this goes down.
    If they pursue the tenant, no issue. If they take it out of your money, then you lodge a complaint against them to the REI in your state - and maybe terminate the letting agreement.
    Either way, have fun!

  • Wickz on 23/01/2020 - 17:34
    +5

    As a tenant I always make sure I have troubleshooted the problem before I contact the agent for repairs, as I know if they send someone out, and the problem happens to be caused by something as simple as a switch or globe, I will have to pay the callout fee myself.

    I've also never been provided with any manuals at any of the houses I have lived in, and so have just googled or contacted the manufacturer for the guide whenever I have needed them (dishwasher, oven, heating etc).

    In saying that, yes your tenant was at fault, however do you really want to push them for the payment and possibly ruin the relationship and then have the tenants become quite petty with lodging repairs? I see you say a 'new tenant', how long have they been there? Have they been good up till now? Are they keeping the house in good conditon? If they are good tenant, do you want to risk pissing them off over $200 and have them leave at the end of lease and possibly have someone worse live there?

    Maybe ask the agent to ask the tenants for half the cost, as it was user error, and you cover the other half.

    • trapper on 24/01/2020 - 11:49
      +2

      Yes the logical thing to do when you don't know how something works is to find (google) or ask for the instructions.

      You don't call up and report something as faulty unless it is faulty.

  • Donaldhump on 23/01/2020 - 17:41

    renter pays, if they cant work an intercom thats their issue.

    shouldnt have to pay for stupid, seems they did not try and solve themselves.

  • Nugs on 23/01/2020 - 17:43
    -3

    tax deduction, so not really $200
    .

  • sir_bazz on 23/01/2020 - 18:25
    +8

    You approved the callout, you pay.

    Should've asked the tenant to test the two buttons before agreeing to the callout.

    • Gnosh on 24/01/2020 - 22:04

      shitty as it is, this is the right answer

  • JimmyF on 23/01/2020 - 18:32
    -3

    Pay the fee, and issue a $10/wk rent increase notice.

    • lunchbox99 on 23/01/2020 - 19:26

      You can't increase rent while they are on a fixed term lease.

      • JimmyF on 23/01/2020 - 19:36
        -3

        QLD issues then…. Wait the 12 months and slap it up $20/wk then.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2020 - 19:43
    +2

    I'm a bit bothered by the rental agency here. They don't make any effort to try to solve the problem? I suppose in our situation, we'd get our building manager to take a look first before we call anyone in, but maybe you don't have that luxury.

    But anyway I think it's ultimately on you. You agreed to them being called out. You could have made some trouble shooting effort yourself, even if you don't live nearby.

    So I think pay the bill. If you are concerned of more stupidity from your tenants in the future you're welcome to not renew their lease.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/01/2020 - 22:35
    -2

    I rent. The REA has a in-house handyman. Either the owner will come out first or the handyman.if either of them can’t fix it they’ll call a tradie.

    You should pay it. Take it as a lesson learnt and move on. Do things differently next time.

  • OzHunterNSW on 24/01/2020 - 10:23
    +1

    Was the tenant fully informed on how to use the intercom? No
    Did the real estate agent suggest that this could be the issue? No
    Did the real estate come out to inspect.. No

  • farknos on 24/01/2020 - 10:26
    +1

    who charges a $200 call out fee to fix an intercom?
    i am in this industry and i dont know of anyone that has that call out fee for an intercom.
    i would ask the real estate agent what sort of kick back they are getting off the tradie?
    you are due to pay but i would also be hitting agent up to split the bill, if you have used them for 6 years they have had there share and can tip in for this cluster.

  • HeWhoKnows on 24/01/2020 - 10:55
    -4

    This is straight forward
    Tenant trequested the repair so tenant pays.
    Tenant could have called agency first.
    Tenant could have requested instructions but as OP says these are all the same
    Basically tenant error, tenent pays
    Instruct agency to put the charge on their account

    As for the contractor this is not the choice of the managing agent.
    The strata mananger/body corp is responsible for maintaining the intercom.
    Hence put your compliant to them
    And yes $200 is ridiculous
    Basically I would tell the contractor to re-issue the invoice with a reaonable call out fee ($60) and tell the strata manager you will not pay unreasonable callout fees. Contractor is thier choice so they can pay.

  • trapper on 24/01/2020 - 11:43
    +4

    How is this not the tenants responsibility to pay?

    The tenant determined that the intercom was faulty and requested someone to come fix it, repair man came out and - it was not faulty.

    If the tenant was unsure how to operate the intercom then this is a different question that should have been asked, instructions could have been sent out instead of a repair man.

    • crentist on 24/01/2020 - 22:10
      +3

      Weird thing is that the repair man came out, saw that it was buzzing on one setting, so simply changed it to the regular one and considered his job done.
      But why was it buzzing at all? That sounds like a fault.

      The tenant might not have had an issue using the intercom, but told the REA agent that it was faulty because it is. It could have been as simple as "let the owner know, in case they want to fix it".
      Because there are a lot of tiny things that can go wrong in a property, and no way for an owner to know unless the tenant tells the REA about it.

      On the flipside, if the tenant doesn't inform the REA, they risk the owner discovering this long-existing buzzing noise at the end of the lease and blaming the tenant for damaging the intercom which was not previously known to be faulty.

      • downbythecreek on 25/01/2020 - 18:56
        +1

        Yeah, buzzing when muted isn't a feature…

    • HeWhoKnows on 26/01/2020 - 13:46

      So I said basically the same thing just above your comment.
      Why do you get +4 votes and me -4 votes.

  • leiiv on 24/01/2020 - 12:42
    +5

    No matter who pays, I think the bigger issue here is the $200 call out fee that feels more like a scam..

    • whooah1979 on 24/01/2020 - 12:48

      The party responsible for the bill should've ask for a quotation before agreeing to work.

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 24/01/2020 - 12:49

    Pay it, and raise the rest as often as possible from now on, get your pound of flesh.

    That being said, fair enough that you pay. You approved repairs instead of sending the real estate (whom you already pay) to confirm the issue.

  • this is us on 24/01/2020 - 12:53
    +4

    My experience as a tenant is that we (tenants) are usually left without any user guide or instructions on how to operate whatever is in the property. I had to learn by myself how to operate a BOSCH alarm system, an irrigation system, and where to find the switch to turn on the fan (the fan was in the living room but the switch was hidden inside a wardrobe in a different bedroom - weird renovation). I initially sent emails to the RA asking information on how to operate (and how to turn on the fan), they talked to the previous tenant instead of the owner and replied with incomplete instructions. I had to search the internet and found the user guides myself. I left the property after 18 months without knowing how to operate the old irrigation system. I have no idea if that was actually working or not.

    We are talking about different things here: on one side a 10-button alarm system; on the other, a 2-button intercom. However, no one is supposed to know how to operate an alarm system or an intercom; that's why instructions should be provided. We might be talking about a smart 20-year-old person who is familiar with technology in general or a 70-year-old lady who might have difficulties operating electronics in general, and a lot of people in between… If you are renting a property, you should share the manuals, or print a user guide with basic instructions for all the items in the property, including intercom, oven, dishwasher, alarm, etc. That is not difficult and could avoid a lot of problems. Where I live right now there are manuals for everything - very much appreciated. Why is that so difficult?

    If I am a real estate agent and a tenant requests a repair, unless I am aware of a particular issue or characteristic of the item, I will authorise a professional to do the repair.

    In addition to the lack of instructions on how to operate the intercom, the problem here is the (abusive) fee charged for the visit.

    • HeWhoKnows on 26/01/2020 - 13:50

      Property manager should have checked operation of the intercom during outgoing and incoming inspections.
      Id be looking at the incoming inspection report and asking property manager if they tested the intercom.
      Could be the property manager that muted it whilst conducting inspections.
      If it was faulty surely somebody would have noticed during the inspections.
      Whilst the tenant is obviously at fault the property manager could also be at fault here as well.

    • Pineapples on 27/01/2020 - 09:31

      This is true. I once moved into a place where not only did the owner/ agent not have the manual for the house alarm, they didn't have the PIN! Wouldn't be an issue if the alarm didn't turn itself on everytime the power restarted (and if they weren't spending months doing local electrical works). Agent ended up completely disabling it because it would go off at all sorts of random times (and made for a very grumpy tenant - me - doing night shifts and offering to fix the alarm for free with a hammer if they didn't)

  • wallet72 on 24/01/2020 - 12:57
    -4

    you should pay.

    If it's buzzing, who's to say there isn't some kind of electrical short? Tenant pokes at thew buttons and gets a shock.

    Sure, two buttons sounds simple when you have a bit of confidence and experience, but don't expect that of everyone.

  • lltravel on 24/01/2020 - 13:23

    lmao all the renters here are so sensitive

    The tenant should pay for being such an idiot
    Pay the fee
    Evict the tenant
    Get another tenant who is smarter

    • belongsinforums on 25/01/2020 - 10:47
      -2

      So if people don't know how to do something because they haven't been shown, they are dumb? Real estate agent should have checked it first or provided instructions.

      • lltravel on 25/01/2020 - 11:28
        +5

        anyone in 2020 who can't figure out a device with two buttons on it needs to go back to school

      • HeWhoKnows on 26/01/2020 - 13:55

        The intercom is clearly labelled.
        No need for instructions.

        And nowhere would it say to push the mute button under the quoted circumstances unless there is a trouble shooting guide - which there never is.

      • Pineapples on 27/01/2020 - 09:32

        Agreed. Why is it unreasonable to assume you would leave the "mute" button on? Can see how someone could see it as muting to not constantly transit sound either way. That being said, the agent should've addressed it with the tenant first IMO.

  • ankor on 24/01/2020 - 13:42
    +2

    I had an issue with a gas oven and the real estate agent walked me through quite a few things to try prior to doing a gas fixing dude callout.

    I'd expect the same of this rea. It's an intercom with 2 buttons lol

    • greatlamp on 26/01/2020 - 13:43

      Your real estate agent is a rare gem.

      They went above and beyond.

  • nicrankin on 24/01/2020 - 13:50
    +2

    So I have had little to no experience with intercoms, but is the buzzing sound a feature which reminds the user that the mute button is engaged?
    Is the sound only happening when the intercom is active or all the time?
    Does it sound like electrical interference or a specifically generated tone?
    With today's privacy driven ways I could see some people (not me) thinking that keeping the intercom on mute all the time would be more private (yes I know the intercom may not work at all if the intercom isn't active, but that's not the point i'm making here).

  • payless69 on 24/01/2020 - 14:11

    As a landlord you must supply all manuals for all appliances anything instructions and when you appoint the agent it must be all on the appointment form. Then the agent must specify and confirm that all tenants are capable of reasonable use. It is a lot of paper, at the end of the day either the agent or the landlord are the loser that is the law in a social system. PDF's are only possible if all tenants agree in the first place. You give them your hand they will take your arm…

  • hardya on 24/01/2020 - 14:22
    -3

    Evict tenant

    • payless69 on 24/01/2020 - 14:27

      In QLD ? Seriously much more fun watching your banknotes burn!

      • hardya on 24/01/2020 - 14:36
        +3

        Ok, increase rent at next available opportunity

  • stumo on 24/01/2020 - 15:39
    +7

    Really needs an mspaint of the intercom.

  • godofpizza on 24/01/2020 - 16:01

    not knowing how old the rental property is would have expected a manual being made available to the REA to pass to new tenant who don't know about the new system/features of XXXX appliance or equipment.

    Then again it might be an old property and the REA should/could have made a effort to help or show how the intercom works during inspections. If the OP accepted the call they should have been aware of the call-out fee.

  • trev likes bargains on 24/01/2020 - 16:58

    Take it on the chin op. Live and learn

  • AlanJ on 24/01/2020 - 17:01
    +4

    Happened to me once. Tenant came home to find Water Board trucks and people with shovels and signs all over the street, went inside, turned the tap, got no water, so called an emergency plumber. The plumber didn't even go inside the premises… just told the tenant to wait an hour or two like everyone else in the street. But he sent an invoice for $120 to the tenant, who handed it to the agent, who paid it on my behalf, and wouldn't budge when I asked for a refund. As someone above has said, it's not worth taking to the tribunal, so I "wore" it, but changed agents and told the new agent not to renew the lease.

    • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 17:30
      -4

      That is why they rent and you own. It isn't the only stupid thing they have done.

      • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 17:35
        +6

        That’s a pathetic comment.

        Attitudes towards renters needs to change in this country. Remember that a renter is a customer. The customer needs to pay the cost of the product (rent) and the product (property) needs to be fit for purpose.

        If a customer reports a problem, then it’s up to the owner to decide resolution. It’s funny how here on OzBargain we cry consumer law, fit for purpose and accc until it comes to rental properties.

        Get off your moral high horse.

        And no, renters don’t need to ‘love’ your investment property as much as you do.

        • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 17:41
          -1

          bahahahaha you are hilarious. I was referencing the specific incident. There is good tenants out there. You are just lumping it as an attack on everyone when it is point to a specific person / incident.

          • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 17:48
            +2

            @netjock:

            That is why they rent and you own. It isn't the only stupid thing they have done.

            That comment does not just relate to that specific incident

            • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 22:04

              @Vote for Pedro: Okay. You may have an allergic reaction to what I said because you probably had a bad landlord and decide to draw on your unconscious bias. I stay away from investment property because I have an allergic reaction to bad tenants from past experience. You don't see me writing war and peace on here.

              • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 22:20
                -2

                @netjock: But you happily slag off people

                • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 23:22
                  +1

                  @Vote for Pedro: If you think everyone sits behind a computer with a smiley face writing stuff that you have an allergy to.

                  In fact if you read it again it is at AlanJ that you lump it because you are landlord.

        • hardya on 24/01/2020 - 22:31
          +2

          Renter gets to like it or lump it. Housing Commission might be more suitable for some renters

          • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 23:16
            -1

            @hardya: What arrogance tends to do is make people forget that it’s a symbiotic relationship.

            • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 23:18
              -1

              @Vote for Pedro: What makes you think that? No investors means even with money renters will have to live on the streets.

              • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 23:24

                @netjock: And no renters no point in investing. So yeah. Both power our love affair with property.

                • netjock on 24/01/2020 - 23:28
                  -2

                  @Vote for Pedro: I don't know what kind of complex idea you have to make that work. You are literally making it sound like either giving out loans like confetti or prices so cheap it is not worth replacement value of materials. But good luck.

                  • Vote for Pedro on 25/01/2020 - 07:28
                    -2

                    @netjock: So your position is “I know renters are paying market rates to live here and pay my mortgage, but (profanity) ‘em, I’m a god because I own the property”

                    If that’s all you have in your measly pathetic life where your need the ego kick to be a ‘master’ then you are a sad sad person

                    • netjock on 25/01/2020 - 23:43
                      -4

                      @Vote for Pedro: LoL okay whatever. You need to get off whatever victim card you've been clutching for most of your life.

  • Herbse on 24/01/2020 - 18:04

    Isn't the charge tax deductible? Isn't that the whole point of rental properties

  • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 18:14

    Offer to split the kickback with the agent.

  • dwillia on 24/01/2020 - 18:28

    are there any illegitimate buttons on the intercom?

  • Vote for Pedro on 24/01/2020 - 18:28
    +2

    left the mute button on hence the buzzing

    Do intercoms buzz when the mute button is on? Sounds faulty

  • lightcn on 24/01/2020 - 18:31
    -3

    Increase their rent for a little while to cover the cost of the call out fee and then decrease it to original amount? Is that legal/the right thing to do since it was their error?

  • crentist on 24/01/2020 - 19:03
    +3

    This sounds like it could also be a lazy technician and/or miscommunication from the REA.
    eg the tenant may have said "when I press mute, it makes a weird buzzing sound", and the REA asked the tech to check "why does it make a buzzing sound". And the tech turned up to an intercom that the tenant had deliberately left muted to demonstrate the problem, and simply unmuted it (this assumes the tenant was not home).

    Is it supposed to buzz on mute? If that's not an intentional feature, you've just paid $200 for a tech to confirm that something is wrong, but not investigate or try to fix it. There could still be a loose wire somewhere.

    So then the obvious thing here is for the tenant not to use the mute function, or accept that it's not in 100% flawless working condition if they do.
    And for you to hope that the buzzing is as easily ignored as it seems, and not a sign of a more serious problem that you'll be coughing up another callout fee for somewhere down the line.

    I once had a similar kind of thing as a tenant in an old building. During a rainstorm the power went out. When I tried to check the fuse I got a huge zap just trying to open the plastic cover of the fusebox, and all the fuses inside were wet. Power wouldn't go back on, so I had to wait a few hours for the weather to clear without electricity.

    I told the REA all about it in detail, and they sent someone to "fix the power". So when they turned up in clear weather and everything was working (I wasn't home at the time) the diagnosis was "the power worked - therefore no fault"

  • worrierwan on 24/01/2020 - 21:09
    +1

    You shouldve raised the possible solution yourself as the landlord. Its on you for not providing instructions.

    • deme on 24/01/2020 - 23:16
      +1

      It's just two buttons!

  • fishing on 24/01/2020 - 21:32
    +1

    You authorised the repair!

    You pay the bill

    Also while you’re jerking around, a small business is being used as your personal bank.

    Pay your liabilities on time

    • greatlamp on 26/01/2020 - 13:48

      The real common sense is always in the comments

  • Bargainaholic on 24/01/2020 - 21:41

    Tenant needs to reimburse the cost of the invoice once it has been paid by the landlord (tradesman invoices usually paid at end of the month).
    REA made the error of not emailing the tenant that prior to engaging the relevant tradesman, they need to send a reply email acknowledging that in the event that there are no faults found, they are responsible for a call out fee. Also the REA should have done a quick trouble shoot to prevent an unnecessary call out to technician. They should have also reported it to strata if it was a strata titled property, rather than their organising their own tradesman.
    It is much like a tenant reporting that all their power points are not working and the cause was due to a fault in their appliances causing a short circuit.

  • kaleidoscope on 24/01/2020 - 22:31

    Next time ask rental agency to advice that user error would mean callout is on tenant. I’ll share a story if mine.

    Had a similar issue in my previous apartment as tenants. Faulty smoke alarm. It goes off random. Rental agency sent someone to repair he just changed the battery telling alarm isn’t faulty so could be. battery) and must have charged callout fee… Guess what, the alarm goes off again randomly (because i did my due diligence to rule out battery isn’t the issue). Next time I asked the agency they said they can resend the technician and if he says no fault I’d be responsible for callout fee.

    i cancelled the service call and adviced agency I will disconnect the alarm and continue with remaining functioning alarm. They said ok. During handover I brought up the issue again telling the alarm is faulty and repair it as they wish.

    • crentist on 24/01/2020 - 23:20

      Yea that sounds like the REA might have been doing the wrong thing there. Smoke alarms are very much the responsiblity of the landlord, and tenants aren't allowed to disconnect them without a good excuse

      And both the government and tenants union advise that repeated false alarms should be addressed by moving the alarm to a more suitable location.
      An occasional false alarm (or any other irregular problem) would be hard to diagnose, and you shouldn't accept a call out fee for a faulty thing just because it might not fail during a repair visit. But in this case could have also responded by saying that you'd accept the call out fee if they sent out another guy to relocate it entirely.

      And more to the point, unless you had a bunch of backup smoke alarms you shouldn't be disconnecting any smoke alarms at all, and you've told a terrible story full of bad advice that no one should ever follow.
      Next time change the story to a faulty light bulb or something.

  • deme on 24/01/2020 - 23:15

    How is turning off mute expected to stop it buzzing? WTF

    • Jugganautx on 26/01/2020 - 03:12

      Obviously its designed to make a buzzing sound so you know its on mute…. durrrr

  • trev likes bargains on 25/01/2020 - 05:32
    +1

    $200 callout fee seems high. I think the REA is in on this. May be ring around and check what the callout fee really is. Then change agents.

    • tryagain on 25/01/2020 - 15:59
      +2

      Call the company on the invoice, tell them you have a buzzing intercom, find out what the actual call out fee is.

  • Blitz001 on 25/01/2020 - 08:24

    Yeah that sounds like a bill for the lord of the land.

  • screensaver on 25/01/2020 - 09:10
    +1

    The tenant would not have called unless he needed help to sort it out or figure it out. No one wants to upset their landlord. All expenses are a tax deduction for you so you should not even be whinging. Its thanks to people like you that tenants are too scared to report anything and live without ovens and smoke alarms.

  • TigerWoops on 25/01/2020 - 10:23

    I will fire the agency as they even didnt visit and lazy.

  • abuch47 on 25/01/2020 - 10:57

    you oked the repair

  • drillvoice on 25/01/2020 - 11:16

    Hi Dane,

    I'm sympathetic to you - I feel like you did the right thing to authorise repairs, but it turns out they were completely unnecessary and a waste of time. I feel like you would be entitled to ask the tenant to pay (although I don't know the specifics of QLD law and maybe there is something there about user manuals?)

    Another option that you haven't listed, although it may have been suggested, is that you could simply pay for now - it does seem like your heading this way. But then if there is a dispute at the end of the tenancy (and hopefully there isn't) you could then make a claim for the $200 for the repair. It might be less hassle to add it if there is an existing dispute resolution process going on.

  • Kranbone on 25/01/2020 - 11:38
    +1

    A bit of partial blame there for everyone but if it really is 2 buttons, the tenant has serious problems.

  • screensaver on 25/01/2020 - 11:42

    You have shown yourself to the tenant as a cheapskate and a tight ass. Hopefully he is not so stupid as to not heed the warning signs and plans to move on asap

    • tryagain on 25/01/2020 - 16:00
      +2

      Haven't had an issue with you intercom recently have you Pam?

      • Jugganautx on 26/01/2020 - 03:10
        -1

        Couldn't press 2 buttons by the sound of it.

  • The General on 25/01/2020 - 12:14

    If you make the tenant pay, then expect a whole lot more 'repairs' that will need to be done during the course of the lease.

  • slow on 25/01/2020 - 13:01

    This is one of the reasons I manage my own properties. 2 of my favorites….
    Tenant wanted an electrician because the light fitting was broken and they couldn't change the bulb. Turns out they were trying to unscrew a bayonet fitting.
    Window was broken and wouldn't open. Turns out they were turning the handle the wrong way….

    • screensaver on 25/01/2020 - 13:37
      -1

      a bayonet fitting does have to be unscrewed, you have to turn it to loosen it.

      • ihbh on 25/01/2020 - 18:58
        -1

        You have to push it in to turn it.

  • shreav on 25/01/2020 - 13:49

    I'd accept the fee and raise the rent.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join