Would you pay for this? Tenant disputes $1,000 repair quote for 'minimal' floor damage
Rental disputes over repair costs are surprisingly common—especially if the tenant made some damage to the property.
But recently, a tenant took to social media a feud with her landlord over a ‘minimal scratch on a panel of a timber floor’, which the latter claimed to cost $1,000 to repair.
The unnamed New South Wales renter shared a photo and an email online showing how the real estate agent demanded her to pay the repair price, which she found ‘ridiculous’.
‘Her plan is to remove and redo the whole flooring because I've unintentionally made a scratch on a panel,’ she wrote. ‘I repeat, a minimal, almost invisible scratch on one of the panels.’
Social media users were shocked by the steep quote and urged her to stand her ground.
‘Small scratches are to be expected, it's called wear and tear!’ a user commented.
Others suggested that the landlord was just trying to trick the tenant into funding a new set of floors.
Due to the encouragement of social media users, the renter replied to the agent, saying she ‘didn’t agree with paying $1,000’ and that she was going to raise the issue with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
‘The real estate agent came back to us and told us they had a heavy discussion with the owner, and the owner decided to lower the charge to $500,’ the renter revealed in an update.
She initially didn’t want to pay the lower amount, but her partner convinced her to settle it ‘because he doesn't wanna waste his time’.
‘I hope she spends the $500 well because if I weren't with my partner, I would've gone to court,’ the renter admitted, ending the dispute.
It is understood that reasonable wear and tear can happen in some rental properties. But what happens if a similar thing happened to you?
According to Property Solicitor Monica Rouvellas, renters can write to their real estate agents if they’ve received an ‘unreasonable’ repair request from their landlord.
If that doesn’t work, the tenants are encouraged to negotiate or waive the price.
If both parties disagree on the price, Ms Rouvellas suggested that the matter be escalated.
‘I would then tell the tenant to apply to the tribunal to dispute that particular cost,’ she said.
‘Tribunals tend to refer to the Australian Taxation Office's depreciation schedule for particular things like carpet or features of a house, and they use that to guide how long things should reasonably last,’ she added.
What’s your take on this, members? Have you experienced something similar? Share them in the comments below!
But recently, a tenant took to social media a feud with her landlord over a ‘minimal scratch on a panel of a timber floor’, which the latter claimed to cost $1,000 to repair.
The unnamed New South Wales renter shared a photo and an email online showing how the real estate agent demanded her to pay the repair price, which she found ‘ridiculous’.
‘Her plan is to remove and redo the whole flooring because I've unintentionally made a scratch on a panel,’ she wrote. ‘I repeat, a minimal, almost invisible scratch on one of the panels.’
Social media users were shocked by the steep quote and urged her to stand her ground.
‘Small scratches are to be expected, it's called wear and tear!’ a user commented.
Others suggested that the landlord was just trying to trick the tenant into funding a new set of floors.
Due to the encouragement of social media users, the renter replied to the agent, saying she ‘didn’t agree with paying $1,000’ and that she was going to raise the issue with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
‘The real estate agent came back to us and told us they had a heavy discussion with the owner, and the owner decided to lower the charge to $500,’ the renter revealed in an update.
She initially didn’t want to pay the lower amount, but her partner convinced her to settle it ‘because he doesn't wanna waste his time’.
‘I hope she spends the $500 well because if I weren't with my partner, I would've gone to court,’ the renter admitted, ending the dispute.
It is understood that reasonable wear and tear can happen in some rental properties. But what happens if a similar thing happened to you?
According to Property Solicitor Monica Rouvellas, renters can write to their real estate agents if they’ve received an ‘unreasonable’ repair request from their landlord.
If that doesn’t work, the tenants are encouraged to negotiate or waive the price.
If both parties disagree on the price, Ms Rouvellas suggested that the matter be escalated.
‘I would then tell the tenant to apply to the tribunal to dispute that particular cost,’ she said.
‘Tribunals tend to refer to the Australian Taxation Office's depreciation schedule for particular things like carpet or features of a house, and they use that to guide how long things should reasonably last,’ she added.
Key Takeaways
- A tenant in New South Wales was charged $1,000 to repair damage on their unit’s floor, which they contest is ‘minimal’.
- Taking to social media, the renter revealed that the real estate agent provided the quote and demanded the renter to pay the bill.
- The renter believed this was ‘ridiculous’ and replied that she would not pay that amount. The real estate agent and the landlord lowered the fee to $500.
- She initially didn’t want to pay the lower amount, but her partner convinced her to settle it to end the dispute.
What’s your take on this, members? Have you experienced something similar? Share them in the comments below!