The following is a press release from State Housing Minister, Tim Mander, about flood affected tenancies. We note there is no mention of the great services provided by the Tenants’ Union of Queensland (TUQ) and the Tenant Advice and Advocacy Services. The TUQ has an excellent fact sheet for tenants. To see it click here.
The following press release was issued today by the Miinster’s office.
| Cleaning flood damaged rental propertiesHousing and Public Works Minister Tim Mander has urged tenants and landlords to work together to arrange the cleaning and repair of rental properties damaged during this week’s floods.
“We know that a lot of people are going to be wondering where they stand and who is responsible for what when it comes to the clean-up process,” Mr Mander said. “At times like this it’s particularly important that tenants and landlords communicate, either directly or through a property manager, about the clean-up and any repairs that are needed.” Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) General Manager Fergus Smith said landlords were responsible for cleaning up the building itself, including fences, gardens and pools, while tenants were responsible for cleaning or removing their own possessions. “Landlords need to ensure a property is fit to live in,” Mr Smith said. “That means taking care of the repairs and maintenance needed to bring the property back to a liveable condition. They also need to comply with health and safety laws,” he said. Where a property is partially damaged and the tenant continues to live there, the landlord will need to arrange entry to the premises for repairs. Entry can be at any time by mutual agreement, or by serving an Entry notice (Form 9). If a property is partially damaged, the landlord and the tenant may negotiate an agreement to reduce the rent until the premises are returned to the condition it was in before the disaster. Any reduction in rent would depend on the severity and impact of the damage. Any agreement should be put in writing and signed by both parties. Mr Smith said a tenancy agreement could be ended early where the landlord and tenant agreed the premises were unliveable. “A tenant or landlord can give the other party a notice formally ending the agreement because the property is unliveable, but this must be given within one month of the disaster occurring,” Mr Smith said. “In cases where an outcome can’t be reached, the RTA offers a free dispute resolution service.’’ Mr Mander said renters who had nowhere to stay while their rental property was being repaired should contact their nearest Housing Service Centre to determine their eligibility for assistance. http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/housing/contact-us/housing-service-centres Fast facts Landlords
Tenants
Find out more at rta.qld.gov.au or call the RTA on 1300 366 311. [ENDS] 30 January 2013 |