Leaky melbourne rental
Mar 26th 2008, 9:34 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 493
Leaky melbourne rental
Ok its raining cats dogs and hippos outside in melbourne today, its insane. But kinda nice after all the hot days we had this summer.
anyway
We live in a 350 per week 2 bed apartment, its nice but not brilliant, based in Collingwood. Our problem is that its leaky, whenever it rains our bathroom and hall is drenched in water, not too bad as the bathroom is tiled with a drain in the floor, the hall is polished wood. However things are getting worse and the ceiling now has large cracks in it. Last night the fuse box blew after water got in the fire alarm. So we have had to flip the fuse box switch for the lights and fire alarm so the power doesnt go out for everything else.
SO we have no fire alarm or lights until the electrics dry out, dunno what the risks of fire is because of the wet electrics. Might invest in some thick rubber soled wellington boots, and maybe one of thoes umbrella hats.
Scary that we live inthe inner burbs, and are paying 350 a week to live in a leaky house, best is on a cold day when its raining, you literally need an umbrella to have a poo since the window above the toilet has a mesh grill on it about 2 inches wide by 4 feet, water drives down it so you get cold and wet sitting on the loo.
We have notified the landlord and the letting agency in writing and numerous phone calls for the last 4 months but they keep saying its the company who repaired the last leak didnt do it properly and that they are having problems getting the company out to sort it.
What rights do we have, surely this should have been sorted long before now.
anyway i just finished night shift so off for a sleep in my waterbed, well it used to be a dry bed, not anymore
anyway
We live in a 350 per week 2 bed apartment, its nice but not brilliant, based in Collingwood. Our problem is that its leaky, whenever it rains our bathroom and hall is drenched in water, not too bad as the bathroom is tiled with a drain in the floor, the hall is polished wood. However things are getting worse and the ceiling now has large cracks in it. Last night the fuse box blew after water got in the fire alarm. So we have had to flip the fuse box switch for the lights and fire alarm so the power doesnt go out for everything else.
SO we have no fire alarm or lights until the electrics dry out, dunno what the risks of fire is because of the wet electrics. Might invest in some thick rubber soled wellington boots, and maybe one of thoes umbrella hats.
Scary that we live inthe inner burbs, and are paying 350 a week to live in a leaky house, best is on a cold day when its raining, you literally need an umbrella to have a poo since the window above the toilet has a mesh grill on it about 2 inches wide by 4 feet, water drives down it so you get cold and wet sitting on the loo.
We have notified the landlord and the letting agency in writing and numerous phone calls for the last 4 months but they keep saying its the company who repaired the last leak didnt do it properly and that they are having problems getting the company out to sort it.
What rights do we have, surely this should have been sorted long before now.
anyway i just finished night shift so off for a sleep in my waterbed, well it used to be a dry bed, not anymore
Mar 27th 2008, 2:42 am
#2
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Contact VCAT mate - they have a special programme to landlord/tenant disputes.
Buzzy
Buzzy
Mar 27th 2008, 4:51 am
#3
Extended Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Sydney
Posts: 486
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Extreme, maybe, but it's really taking the piss to expect you to live in the conditions you describe.
You might want to start looking elsewhere.
In NSW the tenant can apply for return of the bond without the landlord's/agency's consent - though they are notified and can dispute it if they think you owe them for damage - but you definitely have the upper hand if you get in first. I don't know if this also applies in Victoria.
Good luck.
Big.
Mar 27th 2008, 6:26 am
#4
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 493
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Anyone who's rented will know all about this kind of thing. The odd few landlords are good, some are indifferent, and a sizeable proportion are greedy ba5tards who are in for maximum rent and minimum expense (i.e. unwilling to do repairs). Their dispute with the poeple who did the repairs (if that's really the problem) is of no interest to you - tell them this and threaten to stop paying rent until they get it sorted.
Extreme, maybe, but it's really taking the piss to expect you to live in the conditions you describe.
You might want to start looking elsewhere.
In NSW the tenant can apply for return of the bond without the landlord's/agency's consent - though they are notified and can dispute it if they think you owe them for damage - but you definitely have the upper hand if you get in first. I don't know if this also applies in Victoria.
Good luck.
Big.
Extreme, maybe, but it's really taking the piss to expect you to live in the conditions you describe.
You might want to start looking elsewhere.
In NSW the tenant can apply for return of the bond without the landlord's/agency's consent - though they are notified and can dispute it if they think you owe them for damage - but you definitely have the upper hand if you get in first. I don't know if this also applies in Victoria.
Good luck.
Big.
Mar 27th 2008, 7:11 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 35
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
hey thanks for the advice but we are in a 12 month contract, have another 6 months, we went to VCAV today and got a form from them to forward to the landlord, they have said that if it isnt fixed in 14 days then we have a case to go to CVAT. will see what happens. Might shy away rom threatening not to pay the rent, i think you have to show that you mean well and it gives you the upper hand in negotiations.
We had a similar problem with the first flat we rented when we first arrived here. Basically, the upstairs neighbours' poo water was streaming down the walls of our bathroom because the pipes were leaking. We spent a couple of months asking them nicely to get it fixed, always getting the same answer - 'well, it's the upstairs flat's landlord problem and he won't fix it' - and nothing was getting done. Once we filled in that request for repairs form, it was fixed within three days.
Mar 27th 2008, 6:45 pm
#6
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 493
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Make close-up, scary pictures of the damage and the cracks and enclose them with the form. Make sure you send it all by registered mail or deliver personally to the rental agent's office so that they know you're following all the procedures and mean business.
We had a similar problem with the first flat we rented when we first arrived here. Basically, the upstairs neighbours' poo water was streaming down the walls of our bathroom because the pipes were leaking. We spent a couple of months asking them nicely to get it fixed, always getting the same answer - 'well, it's the upstairs flat's landlord problem and he won't fix it' - and nothing was getting done. Once we filled in that request for repairs form, it was fixed within three days.
We had a similar problem with the first flat we rented when we first arrived here. Basically, the upstairs neighbours' poo water was streaming down the walls of our bathroom because the pipes were leaking. We spent a couple of months asking them nicely to get it fixed, always getting the same answer - 'well, it's the upstairs flat's landlord problem and he won't fix it' - and nothing was getting done. Once we filled in that request for repairs form, it was fixed within three days.
Wowser, yours sounds worse than ours, atleast we have rain water pouring in. Dont like the sound of poo juice down the walls. Sounds like thats the way to go, will do the scary close up pics and add it to the form.
Weird thing is that im enjoying the rain and the cold after such a warm summer
Mar 30th 2008, 6:14 am
#7
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Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 980
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Sugo;
your landlord has a "Duty Of Care" its as simple as that if you get onto the estate people & tell them you have major concerns for Duty Of Care you watch them Jump mate, they can & will be taken to court with regards to any Ill Health you both receive. if you get no help from them call the council immediately & get the heath inspector round right away they will crap them self, you should NOT have to live in conditions like that the owner is responsible the estate agent should get people in to fix it.
your landlord has a "Duty Of Care" its as simple as that if you get onto the estate people & tell them you have major concerns for Duty Of Care you watch them Jump mate, they can & will be taken to court with regards to any Ill Health you both receive. if you get no help from them call the council immediately & get the heath inspector round right away they will crap them self, you should NOT have to live in conditions like that the owner is responsible the estate agent should get people in to fix it.
Mar 30th 2008, 6:55 am
#8
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 185
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
Ok its raining cats dogs and hippos outside in melbourne today, its insane. But kinda nice after all the hot days we had this summer.
anyway
We live in a 350 per week 2 bed apartment, its nice but not brilliant, based in Collingwood. Our problem is that its leaky, whenever it rains our bathroom and hall is drenched in water, not too bad as the bathroom is tiled with a drain in the floor, the hall is polished wood. However things are getting worse and the ceiling now has large cracks in it. Last night the fuse box blew after water got in the fire alarm. So we have had to flip the fuse box switch for the lights and fire alarm so the power doesnt go out for everything else.
SO we have no fire alarm or lights until the electrics dry out, dunno what the risks of fire is because of the wet electrics. Might invest in some thick rubber soled wellington boots, and maybe one of thoes umbrella hats.
Scary that we live inthe inner burbs, and are paying 350 a week to live in a leaky house, best is on a cold day when its raining, you literally need an umbrella to have a poo since the window above the toilet has a mesh grill on it about 2 inches wide by 4 feet, water drives down it so you get cold and wet sitting on the loo.
We have notified the landlord and the letting agency in writing and numerous phone calls for the last 4 months but they keep saying its the company who repaired the last leak didnt do it properly and that they are having problems getting the company out to sort it.
What rights do we have, surely this should have been sorted long before now. anyway i just finished night shift so off for a sleep in my waterbed, well it used to be a dry bed, not anymore
anyway
We live in a 350 per week 2 bed apartment, its nice but not brilliant, based in Collingwood. Our problem is that its leaky, whenever it rains our bathroom and hall is drenched in water, not too bad as the bathroom is tiled with a drain in the floor, the hall is polished wood. However things are getting worse and the ceiling now has large cracks in it. Last night the fuse box blew after water got in the fire alarm. So we have had to flip the fuse box switch for the lights and fire alarm so the power doesnt go out for everything else.
SO we have no fire alarm or lights until the electrics dry out, dunno what the risks of fire is because of the wet electrics. Might invest in some thick rubber soled wellington boots, and maybe one of thoes umbrella hats.
Scary that we live inthe inner burbs, and are paying 350 a week to live in a leaky house, best is on a cold day when its raining, you literally need an umbrella to have a poo since the window above the toilet has a mesh grill on it about 2 inches wide by 4 feet, water drives down it so you get cold and wet sitting on the loo.
We have notified the landlord and the letting agency in writing and numerous phone calls for the last 4 months but they keep saying its the company who repaired the last leak didnt do it properly and that they are having problems getting the company out to sort it.
What rights do we have, surely this should have been sorted long before now.
anyway i just finished night shift so off for a sleep in my waterbed, well it used to be a dry bed, not anymorenow let the fun begin
that to me is a urgent repair
options ring your estate agent quote
residential tenancies act section 68 sub-section 1 the landlord must ensure that the rented premises are maintained in a good repair
or
get intouch with vcat they can demand the landlord or agent gets the repairs fixed
Mar 30th 2008, 9:57 am
#9
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Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 980
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
dazah;
start coughing, spewing they will crap them self, as in said Duty of Care its a mind field for them they are leaving them self wide open for a claim.??? i rest my case, play them at there own game.
start coughing, spewing they will crap them self, as in said Duty of Care its a mind field for them they are leaving them self wide open for a claim.??? i rest my case, play them at there own game.
Mar 30th 2008, 10:01 am
#10
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 185
Re: Leaky melbourne rental
i forget what the penalty is vcat can and will impose on the agent and landlord but i do remember is $107 bucks per penalty point
.
