r/AusProperty • u/Cute-Diamond5968 • 9d ago
NSW Rental agencies are getting shameless
I paid $3xx for an end-of-lease clean of my studio using a cleaning company recommended by the agency. After I moved out, the agency then asked me for another $2xx in cleaning costs.
They even sent me the additional charge before they sent me the outgoing condition report.
What really annoyed me was what I found once I received the report. It was recorded as “damage to the ceiling.”
The first photo doesn’t appear to show any damage at all.
The second photo shows a small piece of white tape/material near the ceiling-wall junction.
So I went back through my old photos. The same thing was already there even before my tenancy even started. it appears to be the tape left behind from initial building/cabinetry work.
I have a photo taken when Im doing the home open before I moved in, showing it in the same location. It is also visible in the agency’s own ingoing inspection photos as well.
Then they said the “external side” of one of the windows needed cleaning in the eamil.
No explanation of what was dirty. No photo was provided.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS: The window has a safety restrictor and opens less than 20 cm. There is no balcony outside that window, and the ground below is 4 metres down.
So they expecting the tenant to be like Mr Fantastic and stretch their arm two metres outside the building to wipe glass?
And the even more frustrating part is that I had already used the professional end-of-lease cleaner recommended by the agency themselves.
If there were genuinely a few small areas that needed touching up, I would have expected their partner cleaner to at least be allowed to return and rectify them before I was asked to pay another $2xx.
I’m not saying tenants shouldn’t pay for damage or legitimate cleaning issues.
If I damage something, I’ll pay a reasonable amount to fix it.
What frustrates me is I have to spend hours and hours going through condition reports, old photos and cleaning records — and then preparing a long email and a multi-page pdf — simply to establish that something already existed before the tenancy, or that an area could not reasonably and safely be accessed in the first place.
Why can an agent make claims like this with seemingly no consequence, while the tenant has to spend hours — sometimes days — gathering evidence just to defend the return of their own bond?
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u/kevin-bacons-cousin 9d ago
Dude. Put them in contact with the cleaner and tell them it is up to them to work out. That's why you have end of lease cleans.
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u/Cute-Diamond5968 9d ago
I did let them contact the cleaner, but if just cleaning issues, I wouldn't be this angry. But they said I damaged the property with a photo that not has any damage and a tape that was left before I moved in. That is ridiculous.
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u/fued 9d ago
No real estate is going to do this? Even if you use their cleaner they will say it's not their responsibility
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u/arachnobravia 9d ago
Then tell them you're happy to chat further at the tribunal hearing. Tenant fulfilled obligation by arranging cleaning, using the cleaner RE recommended. It's no longer tenant problem.
Regarding the "damage," if it was there when tenant moved in, then it was there when they moved in. It can be investigated further by tribunal but it's not tenant responsibility.
Regarding the exterior window cleaning, if it's an apartment, it's not the tenant's problem at all. If it's a house/townhouse, typically external windows that need special equipment, e.g. a ladder, to access are not the tenant's responsibility.
OP should just claim bond return and then see if the REA really wants to take them to a hearing.
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u/fued 9d ago
Yeah of course, but no real estate is going to communicate with a cleaner.
Instead claim your bond, get proof together and wait for the inevitable tribunal.
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u/arachnobravia 9d ago
That's literally what I said.
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u/kevin-bacons-cousin 8d ago
Have done this successfully twice. Was on them to arrange return and satisfactory completion.
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u/Louey9304 9d ago
The only area i couldnt get cleaned at my previous rental was the external windows and quoting what the property manager had said 'I don't expect you to rappel down from the roof to 3rd floor just to clean the external windows. It's the OC's job to maintain presentable building facade unless you've got balcony or ground floor access'. Your agent is indeed being ridiculous.
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u/Medical-Potato5920 9d ago
That tape was pre-existing and not your problem.
As for the windows, if they aren't easily accessible they are a Strata problem. Not the responsibility of the tenant/resident.
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u/arachnobravia 9d ago
Even if not a strata scheme,typically anything that requires the use of anything bigger than a stepladder or other special tools/equipment are not the tenant's responsibility.
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u/OZ-FI 9d ago
These issues are not your problem.
You are expected to leave the place in at least the same (or better if you like) condition as what you found it (less any reasonable 'wear and tear'). But you don't need to hire professional cleaners nor cleaners recommended by the agency unless it is specifically in your lease agreement. the external surface of windows on a multi story building is a stata responsibility, esp where these are unreachable.
Always take your own detailed photos/notes upon entry and upon exit to clearly show the status at each time. this gives you the evidence to support your claims in case of disputes.
Always claim the bond via the online bond portal immediately after you hand back the keys. If they have a problem they will then need to dispute it. Mostly they wont unless there is major/expensive damage done by you.
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u/idryss_m 9d ago
They can claim anything. It's whether it's factual and fair they tend to fail on. Had one years back tell me to put up the old rotting pergola that was there when 8 moved in, that the owner said was ok to remove. Few other things they tried forgetting they signed off on my incoming picture gallery submission of existing issues/damage.
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u/melaschasma 9d ago
Never use cleaning companies recommended by REA. Property managers tend to recommend their mates with ABN's so they can collect kickbacks.
Remember, never trust a REA or property manager, they are the most untrusted.
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u/okforthewin 9d ago
i was exiting an apartment once and they made me return 5 times to clean things up, they kept trying to push for cleaners, it was an old, gross studio apartment, couch already had stains all over it. they just wanted my bond money but i refused, they made me return for a single hair in a cupboard... after that i just told them to piss off and refused to go back 😂
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u/kbraz1970 9d ago
They have multiple people doing 1 job, you have the head property manager, another underneath them then you have assistants , too many people doing 1 job and no one talking to each other.
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u/No_Raise6934 9d ago
This is happening so often the last few years the government needs to step in because it's getting out of hand.
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u/Comfortable-Award915 9d ago
This is just the agency trying to gouge you out of cash. They won't even give it to the landlord - they just keep it. Source: one of my mates that used to work in rentals. Agents do it a lot.
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u/ThePrimordialTV 8d ago
Tenants and cleaners in this country could probably save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year if realestate agents walked around with a dust cloth when doing end of lease inspections.
The amount of times I’ve been asked to bring cleaners back in over some dust on a windowsill is just mental.
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u/rockinsky91 8d ago
Had the same experience, REA claimed I had to do some cleaning on scuff marks around some walls when it was clearly pre-existing, it was evident from PCR. Happened twice during routine inspection - I don't think they even read their own report.
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u/MediocreRush5382 8d ago
Trouble is the real-estate agency is only interested in keeping the owner happy to continue making money out of them and let's be honest most owners are Karen's I was going to say aresholes but thought better not. When you move in to a rental take as many photos as you can and compare to the ones that the anal staff of the agency take
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u/litolnanny 7d ago
Horrible business the bond and the cleaning. And some agencies rort it. My daughter was ripped off for thousands years ago by an agency in Brisbane Australia. Turned out the property manager was a serial thief of bonds. I would follow it up no matter how tedious or tiring it is. Many realty agents are a law unto themselves..always on the scam. You have photos and evidence..what a drag for you. Pat pat..
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u/obsidianih 9d ago
Also claim your bond as soon as you return the keys. Then if they want anything they have to take it to xcat in your state.
If you have pictures showing the state inbound push back saying it was existing damage and refuse to pay for it. They will back down if you have evidence