jeski
in
bad_service
Update on tenancy woes
Hi all :) Thanks so much for all your responses on my previous post about my crazy landlord. I just wanted to give you an update on how things are progressing.
I contacted my local legal centre who were not much help at all.. disappointing. They kind of just brushed me off. They are a free service so, I wasn't expecting much, but they sort of treated me like my problems were not significant at all. :(
My parents are both high profile lawyers, practising law for 25+ years. Neither of them work in tenancy law (one is in insurance law and the other in intellectual property law) but they had some great advice and are furious on my behalf (particularly about the drug accusation). My father said he would call and talk to K if she cut off our water/gas/electricity and my mother believes I possibly have a case for criminal harrassment.
I also reported K to the Department of Fair Trading. A woman from the department called me today. She told me that no, I do not have to change the lightbulbs (she actually snorted in laughter when I mentioned the lightbulbs) or wash the outside of the windows. As there is no condition report I only have to clean the house to domestic standards (I don't have to steam clean, or pay for cleaners). She also said that since the gas and water is not seperately metered I don't actually legally have to pay for either, despite them being in the lease. The lease itself is in breach of several laws, as the landlord is living on the same property. I was also told that K herself is in breach of the lease/the law for not giving me adequate privacy. The department is going to send me information on sending her to the tribunal.
So everything is working out well. I just have to see now if she is going to refund my bond. The department woman told me that I should apply for refund of the bond myself if she doesn't. The rental bond board, in cases where there is disagreement, usually sides with the tenant as it is considered the tenant's money, not the landlord's.
Anyway, I am moving out tomorrow, hooray! On Saturday I plan to clean the house to the standard it was when I moved in, and take lots of pictures. Thanks again for all your help!
edit - I forgot to mention, I also changed the net password so K can't access it wirelessly and called Optus to put a pin on the account so she cannot call them and pretend to be me to mess with it. The net will be cut off here tomorrow & reconnected at the new house on the same day. :)
I contacted my local legal centre who were not much help at all.. disappointing. They kind of just brushed me off. They are a free service so, I wasn't expecting much, but they sort of treated me like my problems were not significant at all. :(
My parents are both high profile lawyers, practising law for 25+ years. Neither of them work in tenancy law (one is in insurance law and the other in intellectual property law) but they had some great advice and are furious on my behalf (particularly about the drug accusation). My father said he would call and talk to K if she cut off our water/gas/electricity and my mother believes I possibly have a case for criminal harrassment.
I also reported K to the Department of Fair Trading. A woman from the department called me today. She told me that no, I do not have to change the lightbulbs (she actually snorted in laughter when I mentioned the lightbulbs) or wash the outside of the windows. As there is no condition report I only have to clean the house to domestic standards (I don't have to steam clean, or pay for cleaners). She also said that since the gas and water is not seperately metered I don't actually legally have to pay for either, despite them being in the lease. The lease itself is in breach of several laws, as the landlord is living on the same property. I was also told that K herself is in breach of the lease/the law for not giving me adequate privacy. The department is going to send me information on sending her to the tribunal.
So everything is working out well. I just have to see now if she is going to refund my bond. The department woman told me that I should apply for refund of the bond myself if she doesn't. The rental bond board, in cases where there is disagreement, usually sides with the tenant as it is considered the tenant's money, not the landlord's.
Anyway, I am moving out tomorrow, hooray! On Saturday I plan to clean the house to the standard it was when I moved in, and take lots of pictures. Thanks again for all your help!
edit - I forgot to mention, I also changed the net password so K can't access it wirelessly and called Optus to put a pin on the account so she cannot call them and pretend to be me to mess with it. The net will be cut off here tomorrow & reconnected at the new house on the same day. :)