Inspection of Rental Property question

happyhammer on 10/08/2020 - 11:54
Last edited 10/08/2020 - 13:54

Advice needed:

We are leaving a rental property this Saturday. The agency knows that we are moving out on Saturday morning 9-11am and yet has scheduled an open inspection time for 10.15-11am the same day. This wont be a good experience for anyone - us moving boxes with people around and difficult to hide valuables etc and the prospective tenants for seeing a property in the middle of packing and boxes.

We are in Queensland and have told them that this is not applicable due to the above and offered all other times possible. We are in a high rise apartment and they refuse to change as all inspections for vacant apartments in the building are at the same time

Anyone encountered this? RTA sides with us sympathetically but it seems the agent is going to do so regardless.

EDIT:
Thanks for all the suggestions and examples :)
FYI The property is available until the 20th so they have ample time afterwards - the issue is likely that the owner is kicking up as they haven't found tenants in the current climate and I handed in my notice in 2 months from end date. I spoke to RTA again who said that unless the names of the prospective tenants are on the form they send through (which they aren't) then it is an open house which I haven't agreed to and can stop it on that basis. Sigh - not sure why agents make is so difficult. Me doing this likely ruins relations which will make claiming full bond back harder.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Austaurean on 10/08/2020 - 12:02

    Check your tenancy agreement for clauses on access to the property.

    you may find that as long you are still the tenant, as the contract is in force, and you are still paying for that day, you may be able to deny access, but you must be reasonable in providing access.

  • Hithere on 10/08/2020 - 12:23
    +2

    tenants may refuse physical entry for non-essential reasons, including routine repairs and inspections, particularly if a member of the household is a vulnerable person. However, tenants must agree to virtual inspections if physical inspections are not agreed to.

    https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/the-hub/for-renters

    I'd argue that the physical inspection at that time is non essential.

  • Cheeper on 10/08/2020 - 12:48
    +1

    If you intend to be out by 11am then the place wont be too bad at 10.15.
    Just carry on as normal. If you have expensive jewellery and anything else that may attract attention then get it out first thing that morning.
    You were aware that this is their normal inspection time. Start a couple of hours earlier?

    • JimmyF on 10/08/2020 - 13:08
      +1

      If you intend to be out by 11am then the place wont be too bad at 10.15.

      Screw that, and have people coming through while trying to clean etc. You basically lose 45 mins of your moving window now, inspection runs for the last 45 mins.

      What happens in you clean it and then someone trashes it?

    • brendanm on 10/08/2020 - 13:24
      +1

      What? Op can move whenever they like, they aren't a slave to the PM.

      • Lichen6420 on 10/08/2020 - 13:49
        +1

        Generally in high rise apartments moving furniture is limited to set windows on either a Saturday or Sunday.

  • johndowy on 10/08/2020 - 13:06

    when is your lease ending date? is it on saturday?

  • JimmyF on 10/08/2020 - 13:12
    +6

    OP make sure you have the biggest mess you can ge near the door (thats easy to clean up). Say boxes and rubbish bags stacked up by the front door, so people can't get in. Play the radio loud, as you need background music while you're packing. It is your place and you have advised the agent you will be moving out during this time.

    Maybe get the carpets cleaned at 10am? That way they are wet and you don't want people walking on them!

    Make the inspection hell for the agent if they are going to pull that crap

  • Wickz on 10/08/2020 - 13:31
    +7

    I've been in this situation before. I gave my 28 days notice (I'm in Vic) and within minutes of me sending my email the agency listed the property online and set inspection dates without even telling me. We are talking three days a week! They had two mid week inspections and a Saturday. I lodged a case with VCAT immediately and was heard within a matter of days. I was able to get an order that only allowed them to run the inspections at the dates and times I had agreed to at the hearing, which they didn't bother to show up.

    On my moving day, the agency decided to just show up and run an inspection (which was not an approved date and time) so my friends and I just moved all my stuff out around them and the prospective new tenants. The truck was parked in the driveway (it was the rear unit so long narrow driveway) so it was really hard for people to actually get past it in the first place, and as it was a small 2 bedroom, my friends just kept saying "move" and "get out of the way" really loudly to anyone who was in the way of us moving stuff to the truck.

    Whilst my situation was a bit different (I was happy to be a bitch to the agent as they where breaching a VCAT order), at the end of the day if you are paying rent for that day you can do what you like on that day. You've done your due diligence by raisin your concern with the agent, you haven't blocked their access to the property, so not really your problem what experience new tenants have. I wouldnt go out of my way to make it easier or clean for them, but I would make sure that any valuables are moved out first so that they wont get stolen.

    EDIT - Story I remembered. I had bought a timber deck for the backdoor as you just stepped out onto mud. Some people where standing on it and commenting how nice it was. My friends walked up, said move, then picked it up and walked off and loaded it into the truck. The look on their face was priceless. We also took the opportunity to loudly talk amongst ourselves about the outstanding maintenance and how lazy the agent was. If the agent was going to be petty and play games with us, we would do it right back. Any time they would turn on light switches we would turn them it off. It was summer, 26 degrees and the doors and blinds where all open. The lights did nothing and I was paying the electricity.

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