It might be tempting to think that if a property is being managed by a real estate agent that you can sit back, relax, and assume all is well. It’s not a perfect world. Information may get mislaid, information known by one person may not be passed on when there are staff changes, and as a client your ideas on how the property is managed may also change. Of course, I’m assuming the agent does take notes and does keep a file of your instructions. That assumption could be wrong. At any rate, it might be useful to talk to the agent, and to make sure they take note of what you are saying, because they get things wrong. It might even be a good idea, if possible, to read through the agent’s notes on the property before they start talking to any potential new tenants.
My property is not dual occupancy. The electricity and water supplies each come from a single meter. The units are separate. Each unit has its own kitchen, lounge, and bedrooms. The rented one has its own bathroom. The laundry is shared, with the other unit (ours) having a combined bathroom and laundry. The combined bathroom laundry is inconvenient for all concerned, but within limitations, it works.
At about the time our first tenant was moving out and the new tenant was inspecting the property a new property manager took over. That was bad timing. As the new property manager was showing potential punters through the place she misunderstood the laundry arrangement. She was aware that the laundry was down stairs, but she didn’t have a key to show anyone through it. However, the property manager was telling people there was a laundry with a washing machine. Wrong! This statement was only partly correct.
There certainly was a laundry down stairs, but a washing machine was not provided. The agent should have said something along the lines, there is a laundry downstairs for your own washing machine. The result of this was that the new tenant thought a washing machine was included in the rental and had her own washing machine transported to Canberra. Of course, when the new tenant had taken out the lease and saw the laundry empty it meant she had to organise transporting her machine from Canberra back to the coast. This sets a very poor impression.
The property manager should have been aware of the situation, and a quick check of their notes would have identified the issue before it became a problem. This might seem like a small issue, but it would have inconvenienced the tenant. Perhaps there are just better property managers and poorer managers out there and you just have to be on your guard.
Showing posts with label rental properties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rental properties. Show all posts
17 January 2011
13 December 2010
Nasty tenant
I had an interesting experience with my first tenant. This was towards the time when she wanted to move out. I believe she was having trouble in her personal life. She didn’t like her job and was possibly feeling homesick, as her parents lived some distance away. She just wanted to get away from the coast. I gather she quit her job, and had given a few weeks notice to her employer, but her visit to the real estate agent may have posed problems. Breaking a lease before the expiry date carries certain penalties, some of which are distinctively nasty.
We received a letter from the real estate agent who was managing the property rental. The letter was to remind us of the policy when a lease is broken. There were a number of things listed, but the penalty that caught my attention related to an existing tenant having to continue to pay rent until a replacement tenant was found.
Our tenant may have been about to get into a tricky situation. When her income dried up after quitting her job she’d be in a dire situation if she had to continue paying rent for a place she was no longer interested in having. Such a situation could last months. Well, at least until another tenant had been found. It wasn’t a well thought out plan. It could have meant she’d be paying rent for the place and not living there.
She should have notified the agent she wanted to quit the lease early and bided her time until someone was ready to move in, and then quit her job. Not the other way around. She should have worked the dates better.
As a compassionate gesture, we offered the use of our unit should it become necessary. We suggested to both our tenant and the real estate office that if someone suitable should be found who wished to move into the property, but if the move-out move-in dates for our old and new tenants didn’t match particularly well then our place could be utilized for a short duration. That of course, meant that we wouldn’t be able to stay there for however long was necessary.
She took up our offer. We asked for some rent for the period; less than half her usual amount. $80 per week seemed fair, and the offer was willingly accepted. A better deal than a motel could offer. Our real estate agent advised against this plan, but we thought it was the right thing to do.
As it happened our real estate agent found a suitable replacement tenant quite quickly. It seems that the rental market is such that nothing is left vacant for very long. However, the timing did not quite match perfectly and our old tenant was pleased we had made our half of the house available to her for a few days. On the last day of the weekend that we’d been staying there our tenant brought in her mattress and bedding. She said she loved her bed, and despite our offer to move into our place and use everything, including our bed, she preferred to use her own mattress. The bed frame was to be moved as part of her shift along with the rest of her stuff. Each to their own, I guess.
Anyway, the real estate agent in finalising the lease had made an appointment to inspect the property. This was the usual end of lease check prior to concluding the tenancy, to confirm the place was in good repair, and was nothing out of the ordinary. The agent considered the property to be in reasonable condition, however, she was concerned about the kitchen bench top. Though the inspection missed the badly repaired window fly screen, and missed the fact that one of the vertical blinds no longer operated on a lounge window. The agent noticed some cuts in the kitchen bench top and took photographs of the damage emailing them to us for comment. The agent didn’t know whether the damage was present before the tenant moved in noting that the marks didn’t seem like normal wear and tear.
This was an old property. There is wear everywhere, and the laminex bench top was slightly scuffed when we bought it. This is normal wear and its condition was noticed prior to purchasing the property, but it was reasonably okay.
After we’d been renting the place for a few months we noticed some changes in the bench top surface. With the occasional visit to address problems you can’t help but look around. We had noticed the bench was looking the worse for wear. The bench top was becoming pitted. Knife marks were showing which indicated the surface was being used as a cutting surface. We had a spare nylon cutting board in our place. When our work was finished we left the cutting board on the bench. This should have been a sufficient hint, but it seems to have gone unheeded.
Some months had passed since the cutting board had been left. And now the real estate agent was inspecting the property and had sent photographs of the damage. The photograph provided by the agent showed that the knife marks had continued to worsen. The cutting board wasn’t being used.
The agent notified the tenant of the situation and that quotations for repair would be sought. We left it to the agent to determine what a reasonable cost split between us and the tenant might be.
A new bench top surface was quoted by a provider at $1400. That seemed a ridiculous amount. The existing kitchen bench and cupboards looked like they were knocked up in a couple of weekends by someone using offcuts. The bench cupboards and drawers were neat and functional but pretty crappy. Spending $1400 would be a waste.
Bunnings sell kitchens for a little over $2000. And you can get some nice used kitchens from ebay for much less than that from people who have upgraded.
One of the repair companies the agent called in to inspect the damage noted that the surface was made of a softer material than should have been fitted to a kitchen bench top. I wasn’t aware laminex came in different hardness ratings. This advice fits with the general condition of the property which is all a little less than perfect. I expect the previous owner would have opted for a cheaper option. It explains why the knife marks were deep. The tenant was still wrong in using the bench top as a cutting board.
A lot of people use bench tops as cutting boards. I’ve seen them doing it. Though, I don’t understand why. Knives can be almost razor sharp. I admit it must be convenient to abuse your bench top like this, but it will surely shorten its life. These people may also be the same ones who use metal implements on Teflon saucepans. You shouldn’t do that either. To me this is like using the bonnet of your car as a surface to mix concrete; the paintwork will be damaged. It’s just something that shouldn’t be done. Even cutting boards get damaged. So why would anyone not use one? Perhaps someone can explain it to me.
From this point relations between us deteriorated rapidly. It’s not that she was a tenant any more. A new tenant had already taken up residence. Our claim that she damaged the bench top was denied, saying the surface was already scratched when she moved in. She plainly believed it wasn’t her fault. She became angry, upset, and then abusive. Her only defence was that the damage already existed, that it wasn’t her. This was in spite of the fact that we’d witnessed the damage worsen under her care.
This dispute and argument took place while she was living in our half of the house that we had made available to her as a favour, as a kindness, and at our inconvenience. She did not seem to appreciate that situation. At one point she telephoned leaving an abusive tirade on our answering machine some of which was unintelligible due the sound distorting due to the intensity of her screaming on the phone line. On hearing the message she was told to pack her things and vacate. We drove to the coast immediately. The two hour drive to ensure she vacated was worth it for our peace of mind.
When we arrived that evening we told her to leave. The dispute continued. She became angry, and threw a punch that fortunately missed its target. From that point her belongings were moved out with less care. She phoned her parents. She screamed abuse. She phoned a friend to help shift her things. She was upset. We were pissed off. The police arrived.
The new tenant said when we spoke to her later, that she was unaware of the commotion. Perhaps she was being tactful. There seemed to be a lot of noise. The police knocked on the door of the unit belonging to the new tenant. This must have been confusing for both of them. She couldn’t help the police and directed them downstairs.
I don’t know who called the police. So, I don’t know the pretext on which they were attending: to check out a disturbance, or to protect a tenant’s rights. She didn’t have any tenancy rights as the lease had expired and a new tenant was already in the unit. To put it mildly, we just wanted an unappreciative ex-tenant out of our property. When the police understood the situation they went on their way leaving their phone number should there be any problems. Eventually, someone called by with a ute, helped her packed her things, and they drove off. We locked up the place and went home. I wondered what the new tenant thought of all this.
When we returned on the following weekend several things had been left behind. An old car battery, a gas bottle, and a large lounge chair were left on the footpath at the front of the house. I didn’t want to pay for disposal of something that was obviously rubbish. The bond wasn’t going to be returned until the rubbish had been cleared. The items eventually disappeared.
We received a letter from the real estate agent who was managing the property rental. The letter was to remind us of the policy when a lease is broken. There were a number of things listed, but the penalty that caught my attention related to an existing tenant having to continue to pay rent until a replacement tenant was found.
Our tenant may have been about to get into a tricky situation. When her income dried up after quitting her job she’d be in a dire situation if she had to continue paying rent for a place she was no longer interested in having. Such a situation could last months. Well, at least until another tenant had been found. It wasn’t a well thought out plan. It could have meant she’d be paying rent for the place and not living there.
She should have notified the agent she wanted to quit the lease early and bided her time until someone was ready to move in, and then quit her job. Not the other way around. She should have worked the dates better.
As a compassionate gesture, we offered the use of our unit should it become necessary. We suggested to both our tenant and the real estate office that if someone suitable should be found who wished to move into the property, but if the move-out move-in dates for our old and new tenants didn’t match particularly well then our place could be utilized for a short duration. That of course, meant that we wouldn’t be able to stay there for however long was necessary.
She took up our offer. We asked for some rent for the period; less than half her usual amount. $80 per week seemed fair, and the offer was willingly accepted. A better deal than a motel could offer. Our real estate agent advised against this plan, but we thought it was the right thing to do.
As it happened our real estate agent found a suitable replacement tenant quite quickly. It seems that the rental market is such that nothing is left vacant for very long. However, the timing did not quite match perfectly and our old tenant was pleased we had made our half of the house available to her for a few days. On the last day of the weekend that we’d been staying there our tenant brought in her mattress and bedding. She said she loved her bed, and despite our offer to move into our place and use everything, including our bed, she preferred to use her own mattress. The bed frame was to be moved as part of her shift along with the rest of her stuff. Each to their own, I guess.
Anyway, the real estate agent in finalising the lease had made an appointment to inspect the property. This was the usual end of lease check prior to concluding the tenancy, to confirm the place was in good repair, and was nothing out of the ordinary. The agent considered the property to be in reasonable condition, however, she was concerned about the kitchen bench top. Though the inspection missed the badly repaired window fly screen, and missed the fact that one of the vertical blinds no longer operated on a lounge window. The agent noticed some cuts in the kitchen bench top and took photographs of the damage emailing them to us for comment. The agent didn’t know whether the damage was present before the tenant moved in noting that the marks didn’t seem like normal wear and tear.
This was an old property. There is wear everywhere, and the laminex bench top was slightly scuffed when we bought it. This is normal wear and its condition was noticed prior to purchasing the property, but it was reasonably okay.
After we’d been renting the place for a few months we noticed some changes in the bench top surface. With the occasional visit to address problems you can’t help but look around. We had noticed the bench was looking the worse for wear. The bench top was becoming pitted. Knife marks were showing which indicated the surface was being used as a cutting surface. We had a spare nylon cutting board in our place. When our work was finished we left the cutting board on the bench. This should have been a sufficient hint, but it seems to have gone unheeded.
Some months had passed since the cutting board had been left. And now the real estate agent was inspecting the property and had sent photographs of the damage. The photograph provided by the agent showed that the knife marks had continued to worsen. The cutting board wasn’t being used.
 |
| The bench top before the property was purchased |
I had hundreds of photographs of the house that I took when the property was on the market. It’s amazing what you forget following an inspection, and a few photos provide a great memory jog. It also allows you to study aspects of the property in detail, which isn’t normally possible in a normal open house. Fortunately, I had taken several photographs of the kitchen which by good luck quite a few happened to include the bench top. You could plainly see some general scuff marks on the surface, but there were no deep knife marks.
 |
| The same section of bench top showing the knife damage |
A new bench top surface was quoted by a provider at $1400. That seemed a ridiculous amount. The existing kitchen bench and cupboards looked like they were knocked up in a couple of weekends by someone using offcuts. The bench cupboards and drawers were neat and functional but pretty crappy. Spending $1400 would be a waste.
Bunnings sell kitchens for a little over $2000. And you can get some nice used kitchens from ebay for much less than that from people who have upgraded.
One of the repair companies the agent called in to inspect the damage noted that the surface was made of a softer material than should have been fitted to a kitchen bench top. I wasn’t aware laminex came in different hardness ratings. This advice fits with the general condition of the property which is all a little less than perfect. I expect the previous owner would have opted for a cheaper option. It explains why the knife marks were deep. The tenant was still wrong in using the bench top as a cutting board.
A lot of people use bench tops as cutting boards. I’ve seen them doing it. Though, I don’t understand why. Knives can be almost razor sharp. I admit it must be convenient to abuse your bench top like this, but it will surely shorten its life. These people may also be the same ones who use metal implements on Teflon saucepans. You shouldn’t do that either. To me this is like using the bonnet of your car as a surface to mix concrete; the paintwork will be damaged. It’s just something that shouldn’t be done. Even cutting boards get damaged. So why would anyone not use one? Perhaps someone can explain it to me.
From this point relations between us deteriorated rapidly. It’s not that she was a tenant any more. A new tenant had already taken up residence. Our claim that she damaged the bench top was denied, saying the surface was already scratched when she moved in. She plainly believed it wasn’t her fault. She became angry, upset, and then abusive. Her only defence was that the damage already existed, that it wasn’t her. This was in spite of the fact that we’d witnessed the damage worsen under her care.
This dispute and argument took place while she was living in our half of the house that we had made available to her as a favour, as a kindness, and at our inconvenience. She did not seem to appreciate that situation. At one point she telephoned leaving an abusive tirade on our answering machine some of which was unintelligible due the sound distorting due to the intensity of her screaming on the phone line. On hearing the message she was told to pack her things and vacate. We drove to the coast immediately. The two hour drive to ensure she vacated was worth it for our peace of mind.
When we arrived that evening we told her to leave. The dispute continued. She became angry, and threw a punch that fortunately missed its target. From that point her belongings were moved out with less care. She phoned her parents. She screamed abuse. She phoned a friend to help shift her things. She was upset. We were pissed off. The police arrived.
The new tenant said when we spoke to her later, that she was unaware of the commotion. Perhaps she was being tactful. There seemed to be a lot of noise. The police knocked on the door of the unit belonging to the new tenant. This must have been confusing for both of them. She couldn’t help the police and directed them downstairs.
I don’t know who called the police. So, I don’t know the pretext on which they were attending: to check out a disturbance, or to protect a tenant’s rights. She didn’t have any tenancy rights as the lease had expired and a new tenant was already in the unit. To put it mildly, we just wanted an unappreciative ex-tenant out of our property. When the police understood the situation they went on their way leaving their phone number should there be any problems. Eventually, someone called by with a ute, helped her packed her things, and they drove off. We locked up the place and went home. I wondered what the new tenant thought of all this.
When we returned on the following weekend several things had been left behind. An old car battery, a gas bottle, and a large lounge chair were left on the footpath at the front of the house. I didn’t want to pay for disposal of something that was obviously rubbish. The bond wasn’t going to be returned until the rubbish had been cleared. The items eventually disappeared.
02 December 2010
The tenant encounters the vertical blinds
The tenant mentioned a problem with the vertical blinds in the lounge. She said one set of vertical blinds wasn’t working. I dropped by to see what was up. This was the second time I had repaired the blinds for the tenant.
Some months ago I spent time straightening one of the mounting brackets. The bracket had been bent down so far that it caused the slats to drag along the floor, and many of the links at the base of the slats had become dislodged. With the slats dragging the ground the pull cord was difficult to operate. We fixed it. Straightening the mounting bracket raised the blinds. With the slats off the floor opening and closing became much easier. It wasn’t perfect, but quite reasonable. We explained that this was an aging property. The aging blinds also required a gentle touch in their operation. She couldn’t have listened.
On this second occasion the mounting bracket was bent so far down that the rail itself seemed to be twisted. I wondered how much pressure could have been applied to bend the steel bracket so much. How could this happen? I removed the bracket and took it to the workshop. With the bracket straightened and refitted I was expecting the problem to be resolved. However, when I attempted to draw the blinds they wouldn’t budge. The pull cord was seized. The cord which swivels the slats was also seized. Nothing worked. I didn’t understand what was going on so I disconnected all the slats and removed the rail entirely and took it away to check it out. I was surprised with what I found. No, I was amazed.
It was interesting to inspect the mechanism of the vertical blinds. To see how the innards of the blinds actually worked. The draw string on the blinds forms a loop arrangement. There are two tiny pullies at one end of the rail, and one pulley at the other end. The cord runs in these pullies and the weight keeps the cord taught.
The cord had been pulled with such force that the rail mounting bracket had bent, the force of which had twisted the rail into a position that caused the cord to dislodge from the pullies. The cord then jammed itself between the pullies and the slat swivel mechanism. One of the pullies had been damaged in the process, and had become chipped. The pulley at the opposite end of the rail which supports the cord had been ripped from its mount. This pulley was missing entirely. I can’t imagine how hard the cord would have had to have been pulled to cause the pulley shaft to rip from its mount. I only hope whoever did this got rope burns in the process, or when the pulley broke with the force of whoever it was that was forcing things gave them a good crack on the head as it twanged across the room.
This damage, in so far as I can tell, effectively destroyed the rail beyond repair. There was no way I could fix this. A quick solution was to remove the cord, which freed up the slat swivel mechanism. There was now no way to draw the blinds, except by hand, by pulling on the slats.
I asked the tenant about the cord weight, which was missing. This is the weight that dangles at the end of the cord to keep the cord firmly located in the pulley mechanism. Apparently it broke. The weight was a plastic assembly incorporating a single pulley for the cord and includes a lump of steel (ie. the weight that’s tucked away inside it). How can a weight break? It probably broke when it hit the floor when the pulley was ripped from its mounting. I asked where it was. Don’t know, was the response. I asked about the missing pulley in a vain hope that it might be able to be refitted. I also asked about it to draw attention to the fact that it was missing. Don’t know, again, was the response. I was pissed off at the lack of care.
We must try not to rent to a young person in the future. You learn by experience.
Some months ago I spent time straightening one of the mounting brackets. The bracket had been bent down so far that it caused the slats to drag along the floor, and many of the links at the base of the slats had become dislodged. With the slats dragging the ground the pull cord was difficult to operate. We fixed it. Straightening the mounting bracket raised the blinds. With the slats off the floor opening and closing became much easier. It wasn’t perfect, but quite reasonable. We explained that this was an aging property. The aging blinds also required a gentle touch in their operation. She couldn’t have listened.
On this second occasion the mounting bracket was bent so far down that the rail itself seemed to be twisted. I wondered how much pressure could have been applied to bend the steel bracket so much. How could this happen? I removed the bracket and took it to the workshop. With the bracket straightened and refitted I was expecting the problem to be resolved. However, when I attempted to draw the blinds they wouldn’t budge. The pull cord was seized. The cord which swivels the slats was also seized. Nothing worked. I didn’t understand what was going on so I disconnected all the slats and removed the rail entirely and took it away to check it out. I was surprised with what I found. No, I was amazed.
It was interesting to inspect the mechanism of the vertical blinds. To see how the innards of the blinds actually worked. The draw string on the blinds forms a loop arrangement. There are two tiny pullies at one end of the rail, and one pulley at the other end. The cord runs in these pullies and the weight keeps the cord taught.
The cord had been pulled with such force that the rail mounting bracket had bent, the force of which had twisted the rail into a position that caused the cord to dislodge from the pullies. The cord then jammed itself between the pullies and the slat swivel mechanism. One of the pullies had been damaged in the process, and had become chipped. The pulley at the opposite end of the rail which supports the cord had been ripped from its mount. This pulley was missing entirely. I can’t imagine how hard the cord would have had to have been pulled to cause the pulley shaft to rip from its mount. I only hope whoever did this got rope burns in the process, or when the pulley broke with the force of whoever it was that was forcing things gave them a good crack on the head as it twanged across the room.
This damage, in so far as I can tell, effectively destroyed the rail beyond repair. There was no way I could fix this. A quick solution was to remove the cord, which freed up the slat swivel mechanism. There was now no way to draw the blinds, except by hand, by pulling on the slats.
I asked the tenant about the cord weight, which was missing. This is the weight that dangles at the end of the cord to keep the cord firmly located in the pulley mechanism. Apparently it broke. The weight was a plastic assembly incorporating a single pulley for the cord and includes a lump of steel (ie. the weight that’s tucked away inside it). How can a weight break? It probably broke when it hit the floor when the pulley was ripped from its mounting. I asked where it was. Don’t know, was the response. I asked about the missing pulley in a vain hope that it might be able to be refitted. I also asked about it to draw attention to the fact that it was missing. Don’t know, again, was the response. I was pissed off at the lack of care.
We must try not to rent to a young person in the future. You learn by experience.
18 November 2010
It's not too much to expect
If you book a room in a motel you don’t go sticking a knife through the window’s insect screen for any reason that might be convenient to you. It doesn’t matter what the reason is; you just don’t do it. If you have a problem you call the manager. Was it because the tenant was some kind of spoilt brat who did whatever she wanted at home and expected the same treatment everywhere else?
It comes down to respect for other people’s property. The place was being rented. That doesn’t entitle the person to treat it like their own or worse. If you hire a car from a rental company and lose some money down a crevice in a seat you don’t have any right to start cutting up the upholstery in search of it. It's the same with property rentals. You don't go cutting things up without asking permission.
It comes down to respect for other people’s property. The place was being rented. That doesn’t entitle the person to treat it like their own or worse. If you hire a car from a rental company and lose some money down a crevice in a seat you don’t have any right to start cutting up the upholstery in search of it. It's the same with property rentals. You don't go cutting things up without asking permission.
10 November 2010
Some curious tenant behaviour
I have to admit being surprised to see the change that had taken place to one of the windows in the unit the tenant was renting. Doing some maintenance around the house I spotted one of the window fly screens had had a piece of screen cut out of it. A neat square had been opened in a lower corner. I didn’t remember seeing such a large hole before when I was checking out the property. Then I realised, with the sliding window opened slightly the cut out would be a spot for the tenant’s cats to walk in and out. It was a cat door.
I wouldn’t have dared doing anything like this to someone else’s property. I couldn’t believe someone would do it to mine. Presumably it would be repaired at the end of the lease. It was a disrespectful thing to do which annoyed me. I might have agreed to it, but I wasn’t asked. That was annoying.
I was surprised a few weeks later when I noticed the same fly screen lying against an outside wall. Why was the tenant removing the flyscreen? Possibly the hole wasn’t as large as it needed to be for the cats to get in and out. Possibly one of the cats had pushed through and dislodged the screen. I don’t know. The screen seemed precarious where it was resting, so I shifted it. While moving it I saw that it was damaged.
It is an aluminium screen, and one of the corners of the frame was bent. It was the sort of damage that might occur had the screen been caught by a wind, flown through the air, and hitting something hard. I felt irritated when I saw the damage. I have to say I don’t exactly recall seeing the condition of the screen when I bought the property, but I have no reason to believe it was anything other than perfect; well to be fair: serviceable. Now it was well on its way to being stuffed.
I wouldn’t have dared doing anything like this to someone else’s property. I couldn’t believe someone would do it to mine. Presumably it would be repaired at the end of the lease. It was a disrespectful thing to do which annoyed me. I might have agreed to it, but I wasn’t asked. That was annoying.
I was surprised a few weeks later when I noticed the same fly screen lying against an outside wall. Why was the tenant removing the flyscreen? Possibly the hole wasn’t as large as it needed to be for the cats to get in and out. Possibly one of the cats had pushed through and dislodged the screen. I don’t know. The screen seemed precarious where it was resting, so I shifted it. While moving it I saw that it was damaged.
It is an aluminium screen, and one of the corners of the frame was bent. It was the sort of damage that might occur had the screen been caught by a wind, flown through the air, and hitting something hard. I felt irritated when I saw the damage. I have to say I don’t exactly recall seeing the condition of the screen when I bought the property, but I have no reason to believe it was anything other than perfect; well to be fair: serviceable. Now it was well on its way to being stuffed.
04 November 2010
Should you bother with what the tenant says?
Well, of course you should. But you shouldn't let their requests get in the way of your own priorities in life.
The last thing anyone needs immediately after settlement is bills. Some effort and money was invested in cleaning the place. We repaired a few things around the house that needed doing, and replaced the existing lampshades in the unit. To improve presentation prior to renting. There had never been a need for a letterbox by the previous owners, but one was required now before we could rent. Things were generally done economically. We were looking forward to getting a tenant into the place.
The property was advertised and a tenant was found remarkable quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it was taken. The agent was considering several applicants and gave it to a young woman who had a few pet cats.
Very soon after our new tenant took up residence she came to us with a request. She was concerned the unit would get hot and uncomfortable for her cats if they were locked up all day with the doors shut. The house had two sliding glass doors along with two sliding aluminium screen doors. They were security doors but not as tough as some products on the market, and of course the fly screen was nylon. Not the most durable thing when cats start scraping at the door. She was concerned the screen doors would not offer sufficient security if the main doors were left open. Could she please have security screen doors fitted?
As it happened she knew someone, a friend, or a friend of a friend, who was in the business of making and fitting security screen doors. He could do a deal because of her relationship with him and the price would be good. And he would fit a new screen door to our downstairs unit at the same discounted price.
We briefly explained our financial situation, which I doubt interested her. Basically, we were saying we couldn’t afford this. Stainless steel mesh insect screen doors are relatively expensive. She volunteered to pay for the doors herself. She must have said that without thinking, and possibly bit her tongue afterward. At least it indicated the strength of her bank account. We agreed to have the doors fitted, but only if she purchased them and we undertook to make regular repayments to her each fortnight. I find that arrangement so bizarre: she was to pay us rent for living in the property, we were to pay her for screen doors.
Anyway, we had three aluminium and stainless steel screen doors fitted to the house. I had seen these things advertised for some time. They have an aluminium frame with stainless steel mesh. The screens give the impression of having the door open which of course allows more of the view to be seen. In hindsight we should have said something along the lines: no, put up with things as they are or move out.
Experiences like these make you hard. Particularly when unexpected car repair bills hit. There were a few other expenses too. Clearing the debt was tougher than expected.
The last thing anyone needs immediately after settlement is bills. Some effort and money was invested in cleaning the place. We repaired a few things around the house that needed doing, and replaced the existing lampshades in the unit. To improve presentation prior to renting. There had never been a need for a letterbox by the previous owners, but one was required now before we could rent. Things were generally done economically. We were looking forward to getting a tenant into the place.
The property was advertised and a tenant was found remarkable quickly. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it was taken. The agent was considering several applicants and gave it to a young woman who had a few pet cats.
Very soon after our new tenant took up residence she came to us with a request. She was concerned the unit would get hot and uncomfortable for her cats if they were locked up all day with the doors shut. The house had two sliding glass doors along with two sliding aluminium screen doors. They were security doors but not as tough as some products on the market, and of course the fly screen was nylon. Not the most durable thing when cats start scraping at the door. She was concerned the screen doors would not offer sufficient security if the main doors were left open. Could she please have security screen doors fitted?
As it happened she knew someone, a friend, or a friend of a friend, who was in the business of making and fitting security screen doors. He could do a deal because of her relationship with him and the price would be good. And he would fit a new screen door to our downstairs unit at the same discounted price.
We briefly explained our financial situation, which I doubt interested her. Basically, we were saying we couldn’t afford this. Stainless steel mesh insect screen doors are relatively expensive. She volunteered to pay for the doors herself. She must have said that without thinking, and possibly bit her tongue afterward. At least it indicated the strength of her bank account. We agreed to have the doors fitted, but only if she purchased them and we undertook to make regular repayments to her each fortnight. I find that arrangement so bizarre: she was to pay us rent for living in the property, we were to pay her for screen doors.
Anyway, we had three aluminium and stainless steel screen doors fitted to the house. I had seen these things advertised for some time. They have an aluminium frame with stainless steel mesh. The screens give the impression of having the door open which of course allows more of the view to be seen. In hindsight we should have said something along the lines: no, put up with things as they are or move out.
Experiences like these make you hard. Particularly when unexpected car repair bills hit. There were a few other expenses too. Clearing the debt was tougher than expected.
02 November 2010
Looking for a tenant
The real estate agent was surprised when we said pets were okay. Most rental properties don’t allow tenants to have pets. The agent said allowing pets would open up the market for us.
The property has polished floor boards. So there are no problems if are any little ‘accidents’ occur. No carpets to worry about. Anyway, the floor lost its highly polished surface many years ago and is looking a bit scuffed. So, the odd scratch that appears on the floor will blend with the existing marks.
Within a very short time someone was interested in renting. Actually, a few people were interested. We left the decision to the agent. A young woman took the place. She had a few pet cats for company, and seemed happy in her new home.
The property has polished floor boards. So there are no problems if are any little ‘accidents’ occur. No carpets to worry about. Anyway, the floor lost its highly polished surface many years ago and is looking a bit scuffed. So, the odd scratch that appears on the floor will blend with the existing marks.
Within a very short time someone was interested in renting. Actually, a few people were interested. We left the decision to the agent. A young woman took the place. She had a few pet cats for company, and seemed happy in her new home.
19 August 2010
Furnishings
Although the property was vacant, it was furnished. The vendors had been renting the house to weekend visitors and holidaymakers for a few weeks or days at a time. In fact, the real-estate ad gave a brief run down on how much the property could earn from casual rentals.
Short term rental properties at the coast probably do quite well, particularly as the local motels get booked out on long weekends and the Christmas-New Year holiday season. The summer temperatures at Batemans Bay are usually a few degrees cooler than Canberra, making it a very pleasant place to be. Winter too is a nice change from Canberra with its day and night temperatures generally always being colder than they are at the coast. Weather wise, the appeal of the coast is fairly universal throughout the year.
The house was kitted out almost in a motel fashion with almost everything anyone would need to move in and spend a few days. In addition to the furniture there were stereo systems, TVs, microwave ovens, crockery etc. Some of the furniture was in very reasonable condition; other pieces were virtual throw outs. I particularly liked the dining table and chairs. There were two double beds that looked okay. Though, I didn’t have much use for the bunk beds. The lounge chairs seemed well past their best, as were some of the cabinets and wardrobes. The crockery and kitchen items could have been good to have. Although I didn’t need any more TV, video, nor stereo systems they could have been OK to have. There was always ebay to get rid of any unwanted stuff. There was a mixed bunch of stuff in the house. We wondered if they would be available for sale too.
I had taken photos of all the rooms in the weeks prior to making the offer. I’d poured over them studying every detail of the place. In all, I think I had taken about three hundred pictures both inside and outside the property, and around the garden and in the garage. I knew exactly what all the furnishings looked like. With any property I’ve had an interest I’ve snapped a few photos. If I have been very interested I’ve taken dozens of photos. Perhaps four or five photos per room, including the hallway, bathroom, toilet, and laundry. And I’d go for close ups of anything that looks dodgy so that I can study it later, but in fairness I also take photographs of the good aspects as well.
It’s possible to miss things that will be captured in a photograph. You might not spot rusted gutters until you see them in one of your photos, or rotting timber decking, or a roof line that might be a problem or the general condition of the roofing steel or weather boards. Photographs can reveal so much when you study them later. Even aspects you weren’t able to study while inspecting the property become available to you later: the street, the neighbour’s place, and the general lie of the land. Inevitably, taking so many photos gave me an idea of the furnishings and fittings that were in the house.
Anyway, using ebay I checked the completed listing prices as a guide to estimating the value of everything. This is not a reliable method, but it does provide a general idea of price. There is no way I could match any ebay items exactly with my photographs, but a lot of ebay stuff comes remarkably close. Because I was checking completed auctions on ebay I didn’t care where they were located; just the last selling price. I think it helped.
If you use ebay and didn't know this feature was available, you should give it a go. When you are signed in, click on the 'advanced search' function, and tick the 'completed listings' box. When you search for anything its only completed auctions that are displayed. All the green items were things that sold at the price shown, which gives you a good idea of what people are paying. The red items are the things that didn't sell. It's really handy.
We made an offer on the furniture and contents which was subsequently upped to $2000 and we accepted. The deal was to be done privately. It would save us transporting furniture and saved the vendors from having to clear the house prior to sale. The vendors may also have priced it accordingly as they may have considered the cost of removal, or there may have been storage costs to consider. Anyway, what can you get for $2000? It seemed an okay price.
Short term rental properties at the coast probably do quite well, particularly as the local motels get booked out on long weekends and the Christmas-New Year holiday season. The summer temperatures at Batemans Bay are usually a few degrees cooler than Canberra, making it a very pleasant place to be. Winter too is a nice change from Canberra with its day and night temperatures generally always being colder than they are at the coast. Weather wise, the appeal of the coast is fairly universal throughout the year.
The house was kitted out almost in a motel fashion with almost everything anyone would need to move in and spend a few days. In addition to the furniture there were stereo systems, TVs, microwave ovens, crockery etc. Some of the furniture was in very reasonable condition; other pieces were virtual throw outs. I particularly liked the dining table and chairs. There were two double beds that looked okay. Though, I didn’t have much use for the bunk beds. The lounge chairs seemed well past their best, as were some of the cabinets and wardrobes. The crockery and kitchen items could have been good to have. Although I didn’t need any more TV, video, nor stereo systems they could have been OK to have. There was always ebay to get rid of any unwanted stuff. There was a mixed bunch of stuff in the house. We wondered if they would be available for sale too.
I had taken photos of all the rooms in the weeks prior to making the offer. I’d poured over them studying every detail of the place. In all, I think I had taken about three hundred pictures both inside and outside the property, and around the garden and in the garage. I knew exactly what all the furnishings looked like. With any property I’ve had an interest I’ve snapped a few photos. If I have been very interested I’ve taken dozens of photos. Perhaps four or five photos per room, including the hallway, bathroom, toilet, and laundry. And I’d go for close ups of anything that looks dodgy so that I can study it later, but in fairness I also take photographs of the good aspects as well.
It’s possible to miss things that will be captured in a photograph. You might not spot rusted gutters until you see them in one of your photos, or rotting timber decking, or a roof line that might be a problem or the general condition of the roofing steel or weather boards. Photographs can reveal so much when you study them later. Even aspects you weren’t able to study while inspecting the property become available to you later: the street, the neighbour’s place, and the general lie of the land. Inevitably, taking so many photos gave me an idea of the furnishings and fittings that were in the house.
Anyway, using ebay I checked the completed listing prices as a guide to estimating the value of everything. This is not a reliable method, but it does provide a general idea of price. There is no way I could match any ebay items exactly with my photographs, but a lot of ebay stuff comes remarkably close. Because I was checking completed auctions on ebay I didn’t care where they were located; just the last selling price. I think it helped.
If you use ebay and didn't know this feature was available, you should give it a go. When you are signed in, click on the 'advanced search' function, and tick the 'completed listings' box. When you search for anything its only completed auctions that are displayed. All the green items were things that sold at the price shown, which gives you a good idea of what people are paying. The red items are the things that didn't sell. It's really handy.
We made an offer on the furniture and contents which was subsequently upped to $2000 and we accepted. The deal was to be done privately. It would save us transporting furniture and saved the vendors from having to clear the house prior to sale. The vendors may also have priced it accordingly as they may have considered the cost of removal, or there may have been storage costs to consider. Anyway, what can you get for $2000? It seemed an okay price.
09 May 2008
A problem
S was on her way to Canberra to join me for the auction of the Macgregor property on Saturday. Then I got a surprise telephone call from her. She explained that she had barely got on the road to come here, when her phone rings. Our real estate agent was on the phone to her. He had a call from Melody, the person who wanted to buy our house. There was a problem.
The deposit our buyer had committed to pay today won’t be paid. This buyer was the person our real estate agent described a dream buyer. I presume he’d used that description of her because she had told him she had the money in the bank from the sale of a property in England. If that was what she said, it was a lie. Whatever it was she said had misled him. What she should have said was that she was in the process of selling a property in England, and would have funds shortly. It turned out she had made a mistake in the settlement date. The consequence of this was that the funds transfer was not going to take place on the date she had expected.
We had $1000 in part deposit, a signature on a contract, but as far as we were concerned she was a punter who could walk away from the deal if the mood struck her. Payment of her deposit was the basis by which we would be able to bid at the auction. This new situation presented a dilemma: do we have a buyer for our house or not? Do we have a deposit or not? We may have a buyer; we certainly don’t have a worthwhile deposit.
So, does S continue to drive to Canberra or not. Will it be a worthwhile trip? A few days earlier it seemed as though the sale of our property was a done deal. After this news we are uncertain as to whether a sale has taken place, might take place, or will not take place.
It seems that the settlement day of her house in England was not the day she thought, but turned out to be late in the following week. There appeared to be some sort of trouble in not allowing the tenants that were renting her UK house sufficient time to quit. Consequently, the settlement date was put back. It seems that her solicitor may have provided poor advice.
According to our real estate agent, our buyer was very apologetic and embarrassed over the issue. Not too embarrassed as to organise a personal loan to cover our deposit, not sufficiently apologetic to fund her UK tenants a week’s accommodation somewhere else. When I bought the house in Warrandyte, it was purchased prior to selling our existing property, but that’s another story I’ve told before, I took out a personal loan to cover the deposit. When you buy a property, you don’t buy it without financial backing, you don’t buy in the hope that you might come into some money, and you don’t lie about these things. This put us in a terribly nasty situation.
I suspect she may well complete the sale, but until the full deposit has been paid, we can’t buy anything with confidence. All she has put up is $1000, and if she wanted could back out of the deal. And because of this we may miss out on the house in Macgregor. Our real estate agent suggested we speak to the Canberra agent, explaining the situation, and depending upon the interest in the property we may be able to get it conditionally on the sale of our property.
Both us felt winded, betrayed, and angry. Anyway, it will be super to have S here.
The deposit our buyer had committed to pay today won’t be paid. This buyer was the person our real estate agent described a dream buyer. I presume he’d used that description of her because she had told him she had the money in the bank from the sale of a property in England. If that was what she said, it was a lie. Whatever it was she said had misled him. What she should have said was that she was in the process of selling a property in England, and would have funds shortly. It turned out she had made a mistake in the settlement date. The consequence of this was that the funds transfer was not going to take place on the date she had expected.
We had $1000 in part deposit, a signature on a contract, but as far as we were concerned she was a punter who could walk away from the deal if the mood struck her. Payment of her deposit was the basis by which we would be able to bid at the auction. This new situation presented a dilemma: do we have a buyer for our house or not? Do we have a deposit or not? We may have a buyer; we certainly don’t have a worthwhile deposit.
So, does S continue to drive to Canberra or not. Will it be a worthwhile trip? A few days earlier it seemed as though the sale of our property was a done deal. After this news we are uncertain as to whether a sale has taken place, might take place, or will not take place.
It seems that the settlement day of her house in England was not the day she thought, but turned out to be late in the following week. There appeared to be some sort of trouble in not allowing the tenants that were renting her UK house sufficient time to quit. Consequently, the settlement date was put back. It seems that her solicitor may have provided poor advice.
According to our real estate agent, our buyer was very apologetic and embarrassed over the issue. Not too embarrassed as to organise a personal loan to cover our deposit, not sufficiently apologetic to fund her UK tenants a week’s accommodation somewhere else. When I bought the house in Warrandyte, it was purchased prior to selling our existing property, but that’s another story I’ve told before, I took out a personal loan to cover the deposit. When you buy a property, you don’t buy it without financial backing, you don’t buy in the hope that you might come into some money, and you don’t lie about these things. This put us in a terribly nasty situation.
I suspect she may well complete the sale, but until the full deposit has been paid, we can’t buy anything with confidence. All she has put up is $1000, and if she wanted could back out of the deal. And because of this we may miss out on the house in Macgregor. Our real estate agent suggested we speak to the Canberra agent, explaining the situation, and depending upon the interest in the property we may be able to get it conditionally on the sale of our property.
Both us felt winded, betrayed, and angry. Anyway, it will be super to have S here.
19 March 2008
Kind people
The buyer of my landlady’s house signed the contract, and wanted the 31st March as the settlement date. I was to be homeless in a few weeks.
There must have been a family discussion; a celebration I dare say, of finalising the sale. Well, you can imagine, when the contract is signed it’s a done deal. A commitment date set, money in the bank, and plans to be made for the future. It seems that my landlady’s mother considered offering me board at her house, realising I’d be homeless. That was thoughtful. Though, there wasn’t much room in her house, as she would also be boarding her daughter. She hasn’t been looking for another property and wasn’t fussed about the settlement date, leaving that at the buyer’s discretion. And until she finds another place, she would be living with her mother.
When the excitement eased, conversation may have fallen to the subject of my situation. As a boarder in her house I would be lost for a place to live. Of course, you can always come up with some arrangement even if I had to rent an onsite caravan until I found something. My landlady’s brother lived nearby, as it happened. I wasn’t aware of that. I had met him on the occasional visit to his sister’s place. He seemed pleasant enough, and I must have made the same impression on him. Unbeknown to me, he had suggested that if I wished I could move my things into his place and board with him for as long as I wished.
I was very touched by the kindness and consideration of people.
There must have been a family discussion; a celebration I dare say, of finalising the sale. Well, you can imagine, when the contract is signed it’s a done deal. A commitment date set, money in the bank, and plans to be made for the future. It seems that my landlady’s mother considered offering me board at her house, realising I’d be homeless. That was thoughtful. Though, there wasn’t much room in her house, as she would also be boarding her daughter. She hasn’t been looking for another property and wasn’t fussed about the settlement date, leaving that at the buyer’s discretion. And until she finds another place, she would be living with her mother.
When the excitement eased, conversation may have fallen to the subject of my situation. As a boarder in her house I would be lost for a place to live. Of course, you can always come up with some arrangement even if I had to rent an onsite caravan until I found something. My landlady’s brother lived nearby, as it happened. I wasn’t aware of that. I had met him on the occasional visit to his sister’s place. He seemed pleasant enough, and I must have made the same impression on him. Unbeknown to me, he had suggested that if I wished I could move my things into his place and board with him for as long as I wished.
I was very touched by the kindness and consideration of people.
18 March 2008
A humdrum weekend
Eight people came through the house on Saturday, and one came back for a second look. It’s good to see the interest in the place.
I had a look through a few rental properties, now that my days in my current digs are numbered. It was just the room I wanted to rent. One was an okay place but had no furniture. A second place seemed fine but there was no storage space available and they wanted a long term client. Perhaps I shouldn’t have opened my mouth. The next place I visited was owned by an old man in a large house, which could have been okay, but he said he’d promised the place already. Pitty. I have to keep looking. It was all a bit depresssing as none of the properties, nor the people renting them, particularly inspired me.
It was hot. Both S and I went to the movies. We checked the web to find something that was showing at about the same time. She went to the flicks in Melbourne at the local Hoyts, and I was at the cinema here in Canberra.
S is concerned about me renting, and suggested I not rent in Canberra, but buy a house. Any house. We can get something else later. I wondered if that might be difficult; raising a deposit if nothing else. Perhaps rent a property with a view to purchase when we sell our own.
I had a look through a few rental properties, now that my days in my current digs are numbered. It was just the room I wanted to rent. One was an okay place but had no furniture. A second place seemed fine but there was no storage space available and they wanted a long term client. Perhaps I shouldn’t have opened my mouth. The next place I visited was owned by an old man in a large house, which could have been okay, but he said he’d promised the place already. Pitty. I have to keep looking. It was all a bit depresssing as none of the properties, nor the people renting them, particularly inspired me.
It was hot. Both S and I went to the movies. We checked the web to find something that was showing at about the same time. She went to the flicks in Melbourne at the local Hoyts, and I was at the cinema here in Canberra.
S is concerned about me renting, and suggested I not rent in Canberra, but buy a house. Any house. We can get something else later. I wondered if that might be difficult; raising a deposit if nothing else. Perhaps rent a property with a view to purchase when we sell our own.
18 October 2007
Rental properties
I contacted the staff office at work saying I’d be out of the motel early. It turns out that I have to claim my removalist costs within 6 months from my starting date, but she did say there was flexibility regarding how I get the stuff shifted. I must keep a note of that.
I had a look at a bed-sitter after work. It was $160 pw advertised with polished floors (ie. no carpets) described as spacious (did they mean no bed) and partly furnished (it had a fridge, small table and chairs in the kitchen). It did have a lovely garden and was on a nice street.
I think I’ll definitely be moving into the place at Dunlop.
I had a look at a bed-sitter after work. It was $160 pw advertised with polished floors (ie. no carpets) described as spacious (did they mean no bed) and partly furnished (it had a fridge, small table and chairs in the kitchen). It did have a lovely garden and was on a nice street.
I think I’ll definitely be moving into the place at Dunlop.
08 October 2007
Don't forget the important things
This is my first day at work, and thankfully everyone has been very welcoming. I met the staff office person I had been dealing with over the phone. She was a stickler for detail, and wanted to sight my degree before putting me on the payroll. I didn’t know where it was, except that it was in Melbourne, somewhere. You know, in one of those safe places that you forget as soon as you walk out the room. However, she softened, saying as my qualifications for the job were based on work experience rather than my area of study it would be unnecessary. My new boss was good to me, and having been new to
Early days in Canberra
I had a motel room paid for by my employer, and the accommodation was fine. I had breakfast in a nearby shopping centre; Westfield Belconnen. These complexes seem to be the same everywhere you go. Inside the mall it was easy to forget that I was now in another state. It’s a pity the architects don’t have a bit more imagination, and vary the design from one to the next.
I bought myself a street directory and studied the real estate section of the local newspapers over breakfast. My first priority was to find a place to live; some rental accommodation. I couldn’t stay in the motel for long, as I was only funded for a short time. There were quite a few ads, but it’s difficult when you don’t know your way around. I got in touch with a few real estate agents, and soon discovered that Real Estate agents don’t help out much for renters, at least not in Canberra. This is probably related to the ratio of rentals properties and punters looking for them. Still, it’s early days yet. One thing I did forget to bring, not having rented for years, was that the real estate agents want references. I used to rent in Melbourne, and I could have got a reference from the agent who managed the property I rented. I didn’t give it a thought, which was a bit of an oversight.
Feeling lonely I rang home. There were a few bits and pieces I had advertised on ebay when I was in Melbourne. We used to have a ute that gradually fell apart. I got $50 for it on ebay. This car had so much rust in it that you could actually see through it in spots, and the engine had blown a gasket. So, the $50 was okay. We sold a dog kennel for $26. I suppose we could have left the kennel for the new owners of our house as it wouldn’t have been in the way, but having an old car in the driveway was definitely a problem. So getting some cash for it was okay.
Ebay is a funny thing to deal with. I also had an old cement mixer for sale. I bought it second hand for about $80 or so, about 10 or more years ago. It was a rough old machine when I bought it, but it worked. It needed new bearings when I bought it, but somehow it survived without any attention, and I made it do a lot of work. Anyway I put it up on ebay for $30 because I thought that was a fair price, and if that’s all I got for it I would be happy. So, I was surprised to see the bidding getting up to $50. Mixers must be hot items on ebay, but I was feeling embarrassed because it had seen better days, and the neighbour borrowed it at one point leaving it uncleaned; there was a fair amount of lumpy bits on the inside. (There’s a lesson - don't lend your stuff.) I put a note on my ebay ad advising the bidders to slow down, that the mixer wasn’t in pristine condition. I asked them to study the photograph, and I reemphasized the problems, but they kept bidding, and I sold it for $120.
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