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Rentals: Caveat emptor.


Guest 4lex

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Hello all. Rant ahead. I've just come out of the last tenancy I ever intend to have, and for the third time in a row wound up in court to recover my bond. On each of those occasions the claims were entirely fabricated by the agents in question.

 

Bond fraud is pretty rife here, generally it goes like this:

1. Agent will encourage you to sign the inspection report in their office at signup.

2. Inbound inspection report will list everything as as good as new.

3. Outbound report will detail everything down to the most ludicrously small items, in the hope that you didn't spot them at the start.

4. The process to recover the bond through legal process is long, protracted and expensive, and there is no provision for claiming costs.

 

I'm pretty bloody minded and take these matters to court on principal, but that on balance is a stupid thing to do from a purely commercial standpoint, as it will cost at least a day in court plus all the odds and ends incurred in photography, printing, research, court fees, loss of interest etc. It's easy to see why so many choose to give away some money to avoid this.

 

I spotted a website called dontrentme which while in its infancy is starting to collate some information on the myriad parasite agents out there. I can appreciate that some landlords will be hard done to in this environment, but then they too can have their say. I have no affiliation with it, but I think tenants really need some help and this is a start.

 

For anyone taking on a new tenancy, I would recommend really going through the property with a fine toothed comb - HD video makes a good record - it would be great to see some of the oxygen thieves that call themselves professional letting agents taken down a peg or two.

 

Hope you fare better than I did.

 

Alex

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oh dear what bad experiences you have had i sympathise. i have to say i am a landlady in my own right in the Uk and can see both parties sides as now being prospective tenant in Perth [ so the shoe is on the other foot so to speak] have to say i am lucky with my tenants they are fair hence so am i. thank you for your post regarding pitfall of renting in Perth good post. plus I video and take pictures with the tenants present they also are given copies of pictures and video on a disc and have to sign in my presence after this has been done. this safeguards both parties and has always worked for me and them.

 

Mary

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this is one of my biggest worries about moving over

 

Be diligent and you'll be fine. I don't post this to worry anyone, but forewarned is forearmed and all that. I convinced myself, because I was busy at the start of the tenancy - and who isn't when they're moving house - that I could trust this most recent smiling assassin.

 

Assume that your time spent detailing and documenting the property condition inbound is worth a thousand dollars an hour is my best advice.

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