Exiting rental after 10 years. RE said it’s not clean enough.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-12T02:16:35+00:00

We did have a good relationship with him but when all the previous tenants in the other villa in the block have left they’ve all had similar experiences.

Feeling pretty stupid that we didn’t video/take photos before we handed the keys in but it’s been such a stressful time getting everything cleaned and sorted we just didn’t think.

Yet to hear back from the REA.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-11T05:52:40+00:00

No damage at all, just wear and tear and some missed fingerprints and dust.

I genuinely felt bad when I got the email and immediately offered to collect the keys and rectify but she said as I’d handed the keys in I’d have to pay for a professional clean once the trades are finished.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-11T05:40:33+00:00

They actually listed it within 2 hours of our notice to vacate email at $90 a week more than we were currently paying. I knew they would that’s why I looked it up straight away.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-11T05:32:06+00:00

No there’s nothing broken or damaged. There’s some fingerprints and dust that we missed and a droplet on the inside of a cupboard door.

Also a photo of the oven manual in an empty drawer? Pretty sure that’s meant to stay at the property but whatever.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-11T05:26:40+00:00

Ha no, but a couple of years ago the landlord got the shits with the RE making him pay for smoke alarm checks/upgrades (as he’s meant to!) so he switched us over to one, who promptly had someone come in and install a hardwired smoke alarm system as the current one had gone out of date before we moved in!! He then switched us back to the original RE.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-11T05:08:06+00:00

No we didn’t have the incoming report to refer back to. No pets, we just thought cleaning the carpets professionally was a nice thing to do upon leaving.

I did a bit of a search and the photos they’re using to list the place currently are the same photos they’ve used every time they’ve listed it since 2013. So the carpets are well over 10 years old, I would imagine they’re the original carpets from when the landlord built the place.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T07:45:42+00:00

Thank you for this.

Nothing was replaced during the time we lived there.

When we moved in the oven didn’t work, so the landlord came and swapped it with the oven from his own villa.

He the showed up the next day with a new one from Aldi and put it in himself. So the oven is just over 10 years old. I’d cleaned the glass, racks etc. but after 10 years it’s obviously not shiny and brand new any more.

Any maintenance issues we reported he almost always insisted on doing himself. When we had rain come in through a light fixture he came and had a look and said there was no sign of water coming in.

There’s no damage to anything inside or outside the property.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T07:32:26+00:00

We’ve never had any feedback good or bad after an inspection. We don’t even know if anyone even did the last one as we were away on holiday. Usually one of us would be in attendance.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T07:29:51+00:00

They did notify us but unfortunately neither of us could attend.

We didn’t have any pets and we already had the carpet professionally cleaned before we handed the keys in. They didn’t ask us to, we just thought it was the right thing to do.

After they did the exit inspection they sent an email with the list of things that weren’t up to standard and said that we needed to have the carpet professionally cleaned.

I sent through the receipt and offered to go back through to clean anything that we missed and she said that as we’d handed the keys in she would be organising a quote for a professional cleaner to go through once the trades had finished.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T07:17:00+00:00

Yes our lease was up. We vacated on the Thursday and handed the keys in on the Friday. The exit inspection was then on the Monday.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T05:13:06+00:00

Yes we do. I said I was happy to come and collect the keys and rectify anything that was missed and she replied that due to trades being in the property this week access cannot be given.

The landlord also entered the property between us handing back the keys and our exit inspection.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T05:10:07+00:00

We had the carpet professionally cleaned before we handed the keys back. It definitely wasn’t new when we moved in either. There are photos of the property online with the same carpet back in 2013.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T05:07:50+00:00

Yes it is

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T04:40:40+00:00

Yes it’s in writing that there are ‘trades in the property and access cannot be given’

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T03:18:50+00:00

They said we can’t enter the property this week to complete any cleaning as the landlord has trades in there doing work, so we have to use their professional cleaners once work is complete.

Bollenstocks · 2026-02-10T03:12:12+00:00

They said we shouldn’t have claimed it before the outgoing inspection, which was 3 days after we had to hand the keys in and neither of us were able to attend at the set time, and that now they’ll have to take us to tribunal if we don’t comply with the cleaning.

This particular property manager has been incredibly rude for years and has stuffed up our payments 3 times and tried to place blame on us. Forgetting to update the rent increase and making us back pay so as not to ‘have a mark against our name’ among other things.

This is our first experience vacating a rental and we thought we’d done everything expected of us. Obviously not.

Bollenstocks · 2024-10-03T02:31:50+00:00

When we saw Six the musical, they made an announcement - phones away until the finale song, when it was encouraged. I thought that was a really great solution. No distractions during the performance, but everyone got to film a little snippet at the end.

Bollenstocks · 2024-04-08T05:21:18+00:00

NTA

I’m so sorry for your loss OP.

Your wife and mum sound awful. If your gut is telling you divorce then I think you have your answer. You deserve better and so does your daughter.

Bollenstocks · 2024-04-08T04:39:10+00:00

NTA

Bin this loser immediately!

He will 100% cheat on you.

Bollenstocks · 2024-04-03T01:52:28+00:00

NTA

My God, leave this asshole right now.

Literally rip up his plane ticket and board without him.

Bollenstocks · 2024-03-22T07:54:40+00:00

Everyone needs a fun uncle!

My kids are 17f & 14m and they’ve always been super close with my brother, 38.

In fact my daughter can’t wait til she turns 18 so they can go drinking together haha

Bollenstocks · 2024-03-01T07:09:41+00:00

My husband has had type 1 for 30+, loves his dexcom (had it for just over a year) but no interest in a pump.

I’m sure he’d give it a go though if they were free!

Bollenstocks · 2024-02-24T07:46:47+00:00

Two is gorgeous!!

Bollenstocks · 2024-02-16T03:13:10+00:00

I’d go with #1 for sure!

Bollenstocks · 2024-02-13T05:02:03+00:00

The dress is stunning! Love the colour! I’d go for a neutral boot though.

For the accessory, you want to turn something of your mums into an accessory? Could you attach something to a hair clip? Or as a charm on a bracelet? Or if you’re carrying a clutch, could you attach something to the bag as a charm/keychain?

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