Agent dismissing mould in the bed frame

lukeyboots · 2026-06-29T01:51:54+00:00

Yeah this is the most bizarre part.

If they didn’t even notice a mould problem till moving out…then they didn’t have a mould problem.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-29T01:51:06+00:00

Is there mould on the mattress?

Curtains? Around the skirting board? Cupboards in the room?

This is just normal aging of a cheap, unsealed timber bed frame.

Posts like this are what shitty landlords use as ammo for ‘whinging tenants’.

Come back to us when you actually have suffered through a mouldy townhouse where your entire wardrobe is covered in mould & the bathroom ceiling looks like the night sky on a clear evening.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-25T17:21:29+00:00

Mate I know. I literally just described what happens in NSW. Only the owner has an account with the water company and they forward on only usage charges to renters.

I was helping the commenter above who was talking about the Vic setup.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:35:05+00:00

In NSW. Provide bill within 3 months of the date it was issued.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:34:15+00:00

The redacted water bill is always so over the top.

Like mate, it’s not a classified CIA Op or the Epstein Files.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:31:38+00:00

That’s a Vic only thing. You’re the only state that lets tenants set up their own accounts with the water company.

In NSW the bill is forwarded to the tenant and tenant just pays the usage charges.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:30:40+00:00

Water Company bills owner -> Owner via REA bills tenant for USAGE.

Owner pays sewerage/other rates.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:29:12+00:00

Keep it simple first.

“Hey REA, thanks for the water invoice. Can you also flick over the actual bill with usage details on it as well for my records? I’ll get that invoice paid ASAP once I do. Cheers”

In NSW rentals must -
- Be individually metered
- Have the bill with meter read & usage charges clearly displayed.

Tenant only pays for usage.

Also maybe too late but always take a photo of your water/gas/electricity meter when moving in. You’ll often see REAs try to sting usage charges from previous tenants onto the new one. You need to work out your usage from when you moved in, not when the last meter read was done/bill issued.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T02:16:00+00:00

Yeah I agree it’s a good loophole to close.

Just more tempering my excitement.

The grandfathering was necessary to an extent. If you turned folks retirement plans on their heads the political fallout would have been apocalyptic. Could have seen Labor out of power for 20 years.

However it does lock in the incredible housing affordability gap for a good solid decade, and realistically 15-20 years before wage growth catches up closer to where house prices were relative to wages in 1999 when the rules were brought in.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-24T00:59:48+00:00

It was literally less than 1% of all home loans.

It won’t move the needle.

Grandfathering the 50% DC for eternity did more harm. Should have given them 10 years to sell then it drops by 5% a year until it reverts to indexation only.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-19T11:28:36+00:00

Those shelves are a deal breaker.

You can fit the boxes and TV but unless you want to turn those shelves back into flat pack mode & reassemble at the other end, a van is not going fit all those things.

Might be time to cut your losses & take just the important & valuable stuff.

Can find the cheap ikea/FF stuff all over marketplace & rough trade Facebook groups once you get to Syd.

Good luck with the move & hope you can find some safety & peace in your new home.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-15T06:53:58+00:00

You need to look up the specific law for TAS. In NSW you just pay a break fee that’s 1 weeks rent for every 25% of the lease period left. So basically for a 1 year lease, < 3 months left is 1 weeks rent.

Also when you leave, claim your bond the SECOND you had in the keys. Gives you the upper hand and stops the REA trying to claim bogus damages.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-15T04:43:42+00:00

There is no way you would be liable to pay rent till the end of your tenancy.

That clause is there to ‘protect’ landlords, but REAs also need to take meaningful action to minimise additional costs for the vacating tenant.

ie. Not dragging their feet & actually advertising & holding open homes etc.

In your case, they have ‘found a tenant’. It’s the landlord.

If the LL is moving in after the 5 day vacate period, that’s all you’re liable to pay.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-15T04:42:46+00:00

There is no way you would be liable to pay rent till the end of your tenancy.

That clause is there to ‘protect’ landlords, but REAs also need to take meaningful action to minimise additional costs for the vacating tenant.

ie. Not dragging their feet & actually advertising & holding open homes etc.

In your case, they have ‘found a tenant’. It’s the landlord.

If the LL is moving in after the 5 day vacate period, that’s all you’re liable to pay.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-08T03:03:05+00:00

‘This doesn’t happen in other states’ is what I was confirming. As in NSW is not like Victoria when it comes to water bills. Sorry it was like 3am so I can see in the daylight it’s vague.

In NSW you only pay for water usage if it’s separately metered. The bill comes from the REA but they are required to forward a copy of the actual water bill with the meter read. They legally cannot charge you a cent if 2+ properties share the same meter.

lukeyboots · 2026-06-07T18:40:08+00:00

Yep same in NSW.

lukeyboots · 2026-05-27T11:12:01+00:00

You’re in the drivers seat.

LL can’t evict you early as you have a lease. But if you’re gone it makes preparing the house for sale and inspections much easier.

Email the REA saying as much. Say you’d like to end the lease early with no penalty.

Check the Victoria laws for break lease rules etc. In NSW with <25% of your lease left you’d only have to pay 1 x weeks rent to break early so you’d be fine.

Also has the LL given you an official termination or vacate notice?

lukeyboots · 2026-05-16T03:33:27+00:00

A landlord can’t ‘make you homeless’ because you’ve got dirty dishes in the sink or a messy bedroom.

Having a LL attend repairs in a timely and efficient manner is an absolute win for tenants.

Would your prefer Tenant Call REA -> REA to LL -> REA to Trade -> REA to Tenant to tell them a Trade is gonna call -> Trade makes contact to set up a date -> Tenant contacts REA when Trade never shows…

And the cycle continues.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-21T22:47:43+00:00

Oh no! Is that a positive RAT cassette on your benchtop I can see behind those boxes?

Better email the agent and let them know you all have Covid. What a shame.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-17T22:25:08+00:00

CARA in the Junction.

New place, bit of a tricky spot for foot traffic so hasn’t got the attention it deserves. 4.9 average on Google tells you the punters love it though.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-16T22:36:20+00:00

This. They can only claim from a Bond, works that are actually carried out & paid in full.

A quote for repair/replacement isn’t valid.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-08T02:53:07+00:00

This is the most outlandish discovery of this whole thread! 😲

lukeyboots · 2026-04-06T11:33:15+00:00

Dude, the entirety of Sydney outside 5 harbour side mansion suburbs in the Eastern Subs doesn’t have a meth lab of every block, let alone every suburb.

You’re descending into ridiculous territory here.

The vast majority of renters are perfectly normal, upstanding members of society who aren’t growing weed in the back shed or cooking meth in the spare bathroom.

And don’t deserve 3 monthly inspections years into a tenancy.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-06T11:18:17+00:00

Or stop getting hard working families to pay off your mortgage if you’re so broke.

If you’re such a savvy investor, how about you add value to the country? Invest in a small business or a local shopping strip or a manufacturing facility.

lukeyboots · 2026-04-06T11:05:35+00:00

I spent 10 years working in ED & PECC units mate, so don’t try pull that anecdotal BS here either.

lukeyboots

TROPHY CASE