3 common fines landlords get caught out by!
September 12th 2022
Interfering with Tenants Quiet Enjoyment
Fine: up to $3000
When do you have to be especially careful that you are not interfering with the tenants' quiet enjoyment?
- When scheduling repeated or ongoing exterior maintenance work, seasonal garden maintenance, gutter cleaning, or waterblasting. While these activities are all permitted and important for keeping a property well-maintained, it is important to be respectful of tenants' privacy and family life. As much as possible, arrange exterior maintenance work around times that best suit the tenant.
- When showing prospective new tenants through a tenanted property. If you can limit the viewing times, maybe twice per week for a short period each, and at a time that suits the tenants, this will be much less disruptive while tenants are still in the property.
- At times, when allowing renovations or extensive maintenance to take place. If renovation work will be particularly disruptive, it may be less intrusive to organise this once the property is vacated, or if tenants prefer, perhaps while they are away on holiday.
Not providing a full Written Tenancy Agreement
Fine: up to $750
The tenancy agreement must be signed and in writing, with all sections completed. This is to be done before the tenancy starts, and a copy provided to the tenant. Failure to provide a written Tenancy Agreement can result in fines of up to $750.
Failing to receipt and lodge the Bond correctly
Fine: up to $1500
If you take a bond at the start of the tenancy(we recommend taking the maximum allowed of four weeks), you must file it with Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receipt. Sometimes tenants will pay a portion first, then the rest when collecting keys. When any bond is paid to a landlord or property manager, the tenant must be given a written receipt, showing the date, amount, address of the applicable property, and the name of the person making payment. To avoid fines for late filing, you can file the first part of the bond payment and add the balance later.
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