A great response from one of our supporters to the Premier’s facebook team.
Susie: Mr Newman, I am sorry but do you even know what it is like to be a tenant? I have been through the process. Most landlords are represented by the real estate agent, who has training in that field and has often been to QCAT numerous times before to represent their Property owners. A tenant is completely on their own. They always have to represent themselves. How is it also fair that the interest from Tenants’ Bonds funds the RTA that is there for both lessors and tenants alike? Regardless of what you CAN legally do with the money, that money exists only because tenants are made to pay a Bond on the house they stay in, even if the place is in disrepair when they move in. For many it is “live in a tip or on the streets”. What about bringing in a Landlord Bond to cover repairs and maintenance during the tenancy that tenants can access through QCAT? The interest from that could fund the Tenants’ Union and RTA aswell. Tenants currently have to pay for repairs out of their own pocket until they can get a court order for a lessor to pay them back. If you do not have money to pay for a certain repair or maintenance issue the lessor refuses to pay for, you must wait for the court hearing. There will now be nothing that is solely about helping tenants and local MPs still appear to be referring people to the Tenants’ Union and TAAS currently. If they are well versed in all these matters then why can’t they help tenants now? I am not trying to bust anyones’ chops, I just want answers…And I want something done about the bogus Bond claims on tenants’ Bonds. It isn’t enough to just let the Bond come back to the tenant..where it is clear the claims are bogus the lessor and agent should be penalised.· 15 hours ago ·