They can ask for whatever they like. Note the language is carefully 'Please' and not 'Must'
Similarly they don't say they'll charge you a reconnection fee, they say it'd save 'you' a reconnection fee if you decided to return to the property and wanted power for remediation of anything identified in the inspection.
Sure, we all know they are asking because they want power on during their inspection, but they carefully worded it.
My neighbor recently moved out and after having the carpets professionally cleaned they ripped out the carpets and replaced them with new ones. He actually had to get it done twice because apparently the first time wasn't good enough so then they got the contractors affiliated with Hodges to redo them at his expense before ripping them out all together. Granted he smoked inside regardless of the council that me and my neighbors gave him but still it was charged essentially twice for cleaning the carpets for them to just remove them after he moved
We had different carpet in each room. The owners are selling so wanted to replace them with new, matching carpets.
It’s not even a quote for “like for like” replacement, condition aside.
You should do a property search and see if you can find photos with the carpets shown.
If they’re over 10 yrs old they can pound sand - VCAT judge will not even entertain them and they know it. Carpet loses 10% value per year.
I had to go to VCAT with a landlord being dodgy over carpet - I admitted to the damage, was prepared to pay for new carpet, then she tried to lie to me about already having bought it and I needed to pay her directly, but somehow couldn’t provide me with an invoice…
I ended up searching the unit and found photos from its sale 13years before. Wouldn’t you know it, same carpet.
Yeah she got nothing, and I got my full bond back.
Definitely.
I was absolutely feeling guilty for the damage I had caused and would have forked over thousands without questions if she hadn’t been so dodgy.
It wasn’t until she took me to VCAT and the judge asked how old the carpet was to factor in depreciation that I found out that was a thing. When I heard her say it was only three years old my jaw dropped, because there was no way that threadbare stained crap was that new.
I refused to settle and told the judge I could get definitive proof she was a liar on multiple levels - judge was pissy but sent us off and told me to email the proof though and we’d have another go at it after she got it.
I did so, cc’ing the landlord, and when I called to get the new date was told the case had been withdrawn… yeah, I thought so b@#ch.
In my experience as a rental advocate the REA will usually back down.
They are scammers and often lazy. One scam fails they have dozens of other victims lined up.
Real estate agents, fucking con artists and bullies.
I sent them a message saying as much but they said that it is in line with the other one bedroom apartments in the area. What they failed, I think is to recognize is that my apartment was essentially a bed sit. And very small compared to other one bedroom apartments. I know that they will have difficulty in renting it out at the price they are asking but at this point I am over it and just want to be divorced from them
You can dispute rental hikes at Consumer Affairs Vic! It’s not legal to say “in line with other properties in the area”, recent VCAT found that a cop out, helped someone dispute recently and Little got burned by the CAV letter saying what you did was illegal and they backed down
It depends on if the new rate is within the range of other similar rentals in the area, they can increase any percentage they want, but it is illegal if it goes above the market rate.
(So only if it was ~30% below market rate before)
Carpet is a depreciable asset. I think if it was installed seven years ago it's considered fully depreciated and the landlord would be expected to replace it under normal wear and tear. It's about 15% per year, so even if the carpet has been installed for four years, that's like 60% of the depreciation already.
You can obtain depreciation schedules from the Tax Office. They are the ultimate source of information on the rates!
Good luck and keep your evidence in order!
Any advice for how you've dealt with them successfully would be greatly appreciated by many people in the years to come. Particularly if people search the word Hodges Mentone in Reddit
Sadly we’re in the great big conga line they call VCAT.
My best advice is play the game, jump through the VCAT hoops and then turn up to your hearing. Don’t be fancy or act like you’re a lawyer, but do know the law.
Just be honest on the day. It’s a trick most RE’s are unfamiliar with.
No, they lodged it so that they could try to take our bond plus $3k.
They know they will lose at VCAT. They’re just hoping we’ll settle and let them take the $2.5k bond before it ever goes to VCAT. F’n waste of everyone’s time.
It's essentially cash flow extortion. You're up for double rent in the month of changeover, plus the new bond and moving costs. A stuck bond is basically an extortion tactic because they know you'll need the money soon enough in the new place.
Very common strategy among agents. It's very successful when used for smaller amounts, even a $200 claim withholds the full bond amount until the VCAT hearing. Anyone international will just pay up, as well as anyone with cash flow issues
They won’t take you to VCAT over this. Just disconnect on your vacate day. They’re trying it on. Don’t communicate with them if they have cheek to hassle you about it. Just wait for them to act and you lodge the bond claim. This is one of those situations where you let them play it out. I guarantee they won’t because they know.
This 100%. What they are hoping for is a flustered ex tenant sacrificing all their bond, because the agent says they have damaged or worn out the property, or some other misdemeanour. Claim your bond immediately, and if they are that upset by something they want to accuse you of they will take you to VCAT (they won’t unless it’s egregious), and with your absolute right to disconnect the power the very second you leave, the agent should have had the manners to offer you some money to leave it on for three days FOR THEIR CONVENIENCE. But, these people are arseholes, they have no manners, or scruples.
Can someone enlighten me on why the real estate agent, the intermediary, would benefit from this? Wouldn’t it be the landlord, not Hodges, that is driving this & going to be the beneficiary of it?
It's for convenience that they are making this request.
It's far easier to do a condition report and show around new prospective tenants if the lights are on and the power is working.
Real estate agents charge fees to landlords for every email, letter, phone call or wet fart they create "managing" the property.
So they are screwing the landlord over in the hopes they can trumpet their "success" to the landlord.
As you're aware, you have zero obligation to have the power left on once you've handed back possession.
Also funny, they don't have 10 'business days' to conduct the exit inspection, it's 10 days.
Also, you need to be given a reasonable opportunity to be there. Debatable as to whether them requiring you to advise them in advance that you'd like to be there (therefore forcing them to tell you the date and time it's taking place) would be regarded as them giving you a reasonable opportunity. That'd be up to VCAT to determine.
Didn't know about the 10 days.
If it exceeds that, what happens?
My REA claims they'll be out for the holidays approximately that long during he vacate period.
>I think They have 10 days to make a claim on the bond after you submit your claim. If they don’t claim by then, you automatically get it back.
It's 14 days. It can sometimes be 20 if the rental provider doesn't have an email address linked to the bond (as they get notified of the claim by post).
Our REA pulled this. We advised them the power would be cut when we handed possession and they were welcome to conduct the inspection on the last day if they wish prior to us handing the keys.
They ignored the option, then contacted us after we left saying the power didn’t work. No shit! We explicitly told them we rejected their request for power to remain connected and told them this was a landlord responsibility as we no longer rent the property.
We got bond back in full and heard nothing more.
I had Harcourts Hallam (formerly Noble Park) try the same shit on me three times. I pointed out the laws to them repeatedly before they gave up.
Since the owner was demolishing the house and we were already gone, I can't see any reason why we should.
Thats the correct one. We left them more than 12 months ago. Ive posted before in comments about how the agent at the exit inspection invited her friend over (I shit you not; had I not been there they definitely would've fucked) and after they left, I went for a piss only to discover the entire toilet seat/lid was detached and missing altogether.
I searched the house, all the cupboards, the bins, the garage, down the side of the garage, all through the backyard, everywhere...
Never found out what happened to the toilet seat.
So more than 12 months ago?
That office got closed down, apparently for doing silly shit. I know of folks that where dealing with them, and nothing ever got fixed, and super hard to deal with.
You mean their Hallam office got shut down??
I'm not the slightest bit religious, but anyone here who is, you wanna make a toast to that Jesus fella for me?
Edit- holy shit I just googled and they've moved again. I think thats 4 moves since the time we were with them (which was only around 15-16 months).
You can just call your retailer and ask for a final read not a disconnection if you feel like being nice.
Then just flip off the main switch when you leave. That notice is unreasonable and stupid. They can get the power connected in their name if they need it to inspect after you leave.
It’s 100% not your responsibly.
EDIT: I was wrong, electricity retailer can cut power, disregard first paragraph.
Pretty sure electricity never gets "turned off" to your house unless you flick the switch off. Any usage after you disconnect is billed to the next person. The disconnect/reconnect is mainly just a billing thing.
This advice still remains
Disconnect your plan through the retailer on the day after your move (in case delays etc), and flick the switch off when you leave for the last time. Agent will turn the switch on for the final inspection but you won't be billed for it.
I think you may be confused - your water is never disconnected at any point, and usage is just billed to the next person.
Typically the power is turned off though.
Power is always turned off unless they’ve got another move request organised, in that case, they’ll just do a meter reading.
The only services that aren’t turned off for move outs are gas and water.
Even after you cancel your account with the electricity provider, they usually won’t disconnect the power straight away. Should be no issues with it still being there for a few days.
No you won’t. Tell your provider your moving out on X date (noting any notice periods), on move out day turn off the main switch, take a final meter reading (pics for evidence), call your provider and tell them final meter reading and ask for a final bill. Any charges after this date are the owners responsibility, not yours.
We had a few try this. Just ignored them and didnt make it an issue. Power account was closed on our last day and did not hear a word about it.
They cant do this and make sure you claim your bond on your last day - before you take the keys back.
The power doesnt usually get turned off - its just the account thats closed, the inspection can go ahead and if you need to return the lights and water will still work.
The owner is just cheap.
Power doesn't get physically disconnected tho when you leave, it will just go into limbo with no one really being charged for the electricity used during the interim of new tenants.
Is there a specific law you can point to about them not requesting this? I see it a lot and would love the ammunition to clip back at the scammy bastards
Is that requirement in the lease contract? Is there a law? If not, I would write back indicating you're happy to leave the electricity account active for three days provided the landlord agrees in writing to pay for the electricity used over that period.
Majority are smart meters so they don’t “disconnect”, you ring your supplier and tell them you’re moving and on ‘this’ date.
Then when you’ve finished moving everything, flick off the mains via the switch box.
Then immediately apply for your bond to be returned. Don’t wait for real estate agent to do it!
My experience is you tell the provider your moving date. They stop the account in your name, but the electricity stays on. They don't turn it off when you leave.
I just looked this up and you are actually right. I didn't realize that even if it stipulates in the lease agreement, it is not a legal requirement. That is if the unit is left in a reasonable condition. Because my lease agreement was prior to March 21 it is not a clause that holds any weight
never leave it on, had a freind have to pay a 6 month power bill for some other idiot that took over the place after.
She asked the power company to disconnect and they didn't but you know no proof, seems like simpy energy only record calls for thier training purposes and loose them when it makes them money.
Yep, definitely flipping the switch and then taking a photo of the meter. If they want to show new tenants that the lights work then they can pay for it. Why you would need electricity to show an apartment in the daytime is beyond me
When I sold my house, house keys handover at noon. Left the property, real estate agent who sold it on my behalf rang me at 5pm. "Did you have the power disconnected?"
I said yes, they asked what the new owners were going to do about hot water, cooking etc.
I said how the fuck is this my problem? Go away. They did go away, never heard from them again.
FFS.
Ok cool. Sorry!! 😊
Yes exactly.
I had pre organised my next properties utilities. Was pretty weird that I was at any point expected to make my now sold property liveable for next owners.
It's insanity, trying to get people who, in a lot of instances & certainly mine have spent all they have on moving to foot the bill for their own ends.
The power never gets cut, there is always supply. Also, there is 1,657 jobs on seek at the moment in the bayside area with the keywords “no experience”
What is your plan if say, there are cleaning issues and they want you or a cleaner to go back in?
I always leave it for 2-3 days for my own convenience and peace of mind, not for anyone else
I had been renting since the 90s, this was standard in every rental 20 years plus. If no one is living there the costs are negligible. It’s so that there are lights work if they do the final inspection after hours or when it’s dark. I know this as for 20+ this has been communicated by REAs when I moved out.
If OP believes it’s illegal then just talk directly to the agent. Communication is a pretty simple fix to this problem. This isn’t a hill to die on.
Yeah these REA will definitely tell the truth after outright lying. FUCK ALL REA's , their life should be difficult. Why would a REA be working after hours? Their job is to leach off people for a living. They're not working after 5.
In my last rental we always had the yearly inspections after hours. It turned out that the agent lived close by and was doing them on her way home to her family. It was the best use of her time and mine as it meant I could be there also. I simply spoke to her and found out that info.
There’s something gross about dehumanising certain professions. These are someone’s family members. Sometimes people end up in jobs they have no interest in like this or even retail as an example as they too need to eat and live and will also be renting given how shit the pay is. It’s commonsense that the lowly property managers aren’t making the rules, in the same way the minimum wage staff at Coles aren’t setting the pricing.
I've been disconnecting the power on the day I leave a rental since 2003. It wasn't standard then and it isnt standard now. It has always advised to turn the power off on your last day.
It doesn't say they will charge you. It says if something is wrong (eg: the property wasn't cleaned properly) then someone will need to return to fix it and may need power such as vaccuming, steam cleaning, etc. Meaning you will need to reconnect power, fix the issue, and disconnect again.
I have, cheers though. This is a PSA because they are not a real estate you want to deal with. The fact that I have to notify them of what the laws are is beyond pathetic
My apartment flooded after a faulty tap blew off, they ignored every message I sent them, It was lucky that I knew a professional carpet / flooring layer and he lent me his carper fans / wet vacs. Afterwards they sent me messages indicating that it was my fault.
I agree absolutely. If you get approved You are usually within a certain time frame that makes it next to impossible to pick and choose. There is no such thing as tyranny of choice when it comes to rentals unless you have money or a place to stay in the interim. It's sad, but forewarned is forearmed to a point
Just tell your retailer someone is moving in, and insist on a special read being done.
I doubt they can charge you for the connection, but as long as your retailer closes your account, you won't be charged.
But they don't have to turn off your power to close your account
When it comes down to it is not unreasonable if they guarantee you get your bond back.
They need power to clean , inspect or get a tradie in. If needed, just take your final read of your utility's and keep them on hand until you get your bond back.
Take lots of photos and clean the place better than when you moved in.
If you have problems take them to the rental tribunal.
Ps hope you have before photos.
You need to notify your energy retailer of the date you exit the property. This ensures that your final bill can be organised and it protects you so you will not be charged for consumption that may occur after you've exited.
It's very rare that the power will actually be disconnected, even when you've notified you're leaving.
Actual physical disconnection only happens when specifically required, and it's a paid service from your distributor. Every retailer will list 'disconnection' and 'reconnection' fees, but these apply only for physical disconnect/reconnect for the premises, which only ever happens if the place is being permanently vacated, or when there's major renovation works planned etc.
The much more common scenario is that the power remains on, and it's up to the incoming resident to set up their own new supply agreement with a new retailer of their choice when they move in.
If they do not, then they'll be under a 'deemed' energy supply agreement with the original retailer, which is able to back-bill for any usage that has occurred since your move-out date.
Landlords are usually pricks but to be honest I don’t think they’re actually doing anything wrong here. There’s no consequence of you not doing it and they’re not really demanding you reconnect it if they need you to fix something. The point is if you need to vacuum or do any other cleaning that involves electricity, how are you going to do it without reconnecting the power?
If you’re completely confident you deserve the bond, take photos of everything and apply for the bond the RFTA. If you’re not, turn off at the power box and keep it connected until they’ve done the inspection. It’s going to cost you virtually nothing.
Also, apply for return of the bond directly with the RTBA as soon as you hand in the keys.
Yeah absolutely! I'm going to be on it like white on rice, fuck em all.
Yeah good stuff, they want to fuck you so fuck ‘em right back.
They have the guns but we have the power ✊🏼
Nah they have the power. Let's be realistic
Not if they disconnect it.
lol very good.
No, realistically if people actually banded together we could force change.
Aye, there’s the rub!
[working together](https://youtu.be/qlicWUDf5MM?si=ls_Mn24GfXpUuU_Z)
Ammo!
[Your comment made me think of collective action. ](https://youtu.be/qlicWUDf5MM?si=ls_Mn24GfXpUuU_Z)
They can ask for whatever they like. Note the language is carefully 'Please' and not 'Must' Similarly they don't say they'll charge you a reconnection fee, they say it'd save 'you' a reconnection fee if you decided to return to the property and wanted power for remediation of anything identified in the inspection. Sure, we all know they are asking because they want power on during their inspection, but they carefully worded it.
Yeah this is true, cheers for pointing that out 👍🏻
Take diarised notes, only communicate via email, all the other good ideas from fellow renters. Good luck.
I did it the second I left the keys at their office lmao
Hodges Mentone are currently trying to screw us for $5500 for new carpet on a rental we left spotless. Very dodgy operators. Off to VCAT we go.
My neighbor recently moved out and after having the carpets professionally cleaned they ripped out the carpets and replaced them with new ones. He actually had to get it done twice because apparently the first time wasn't good enough so then they got the contractors affiliated with Hodges to redo them at his expense before ripping them out all together. Granted he smoked inside regardless of the council that me and my neighbors gave him but still it was charged essentially twice for cleaning the carpets for them to just remove them after he moved
We had different carpet in each room. The owners are selling so wanted to replace them with new, matching carpets. It’s not even a quote for “like for like” replacement, condition aside.
You should do a property search and see if you can find photos with the carpets shown. If they’re over 10 yrs old they can pound sand - VCAT judge will not even entertain them and they know it. Carpet loses 10% value per year. I had to go to VCAT with a landlord being dodgy over carpet - I admitted to the damage, was prepared to pay for new carpet, then she tried to lie to me about already having bought it and I needed to pay her directly, but somehow couldn’t provide me with an invoice… I ended up searching the unit and found photos from its sale 13years before. Wouldn’t you know it, same carpet. Yeah she got nothing, and I got my full bond back.
More people need to learn about assets and depreciation. Too many landlords want compensation for assets depreciated to zero.
Definitely. I was absolutely feeling guilty for the damage I had caused and would have forked over thousands without questions if she hadn’t been so dodgy. It wasn’t until she took me to VCAT and the judge asked how old the carpet was to factor in depreciation that I found out that was a thing. When I heard her say it was only three years old my jaw dropped, because there was no way that threadbare stained crap was that new. I refused to settle and told the judge I could get definitive proof she was a liar on multiple levels - judge was pissy but sent us off and told me to email the proof though and we’d have another go at it after she got it. I did so, cc’ing the landlord, and when I called to get the new date was told the case had been withdrawn… yeah, I thought so b@#ch.
In my experience as a rental advocate the REA will usually back down. They are scammers and often lazy. One scam fails they have dozens of other victims lined up. Real estate agents, fucking con artists and bullies.
Also the law allows for general wear and tear. Even an empty rental never used will wear down.
Gross. These people have no scruples
BTW. I’m not sure it’s legal to increase rent by 30%. I’d be checking that, sorry if it’s changed.
I sent them a message saying as much but they said that it is in line with the other one bedroom apartments in the area. What they failed, I think is to recognize is that my apartment was essentially a bed sit. And very small compared to other one bedroom apartments. I know that they will have difficulty in renting it out at the price they are asking but at this point I am over it and just want to be divorced from them
You can dispute rental hikes at Consumer Affairs Vic! It’s not legal to say “in line with other properties in the area”, recent VCAT found that a cop out, helped someone dispute recently and Little got burned by the CAV letter saying what you did was illegal and they backed down
There has never been a cap on rental increases in Victoria.
Just passed in SA. Vote Greens.
It depends on if the new rate is within the range of other similar rentals in the area, they can increase any percentage they want, but it is illegal if it goes above the market rate. (So only if it was ~30% below market rate before)
To be fair owners can change their mind
To be fair the owners should then be forced to compensate the former tenants for professional cleaning of an item they chose to discard
Carpet is a depreciable asset. I think if it was installed seven years ago it's considered fully depreciated and the landlord would be expected to replace it under normal wear and tear. It's about 15% per year, so even if the carpet has been installed for four years, that's like 60% of the depreciation already.
Legend! Thank you my accounting friend. That’s the info I needed.
Ask them to provide a recipet for when it was installed. I'm repeating a discussion I saw on ausproperty or ausreno but the point is good.
You can obtain depreciation schedules from the Tax Office. They are the ultimate source of information on the rates! Good luck and keep your evidence in order!
Any advice for how you've dealt with them successfully would be greatly appreciated by many people in the years to come. Particularly if people search the word Hodges Mentone in Reddit
Sadly we’re in the great big conga line they call VCAT. My best advice is play the game, jump through the VCAT hoops and then turn up to your hearing. Don’t be fancy or act like you’re a lawyer, but do know the law. Just be honest on the day. It’s a trick most RE’s are unfamiliar with.
Did you lodge your claim with RTBA directly after handing in the keys? Curious as to whether or not it expedites the process
No, they lodged it so that they could try to take our bond plus $3k. They know they will lose at VCAT. They’re just hoping we’ll settle and let them take the $2.5k bond before it ever goes to VCAT. F’n waste of everyone’s time.
Definitely lodging my claim as soon as the keys go in the box then
It's essentially cash flow extortion. You're up for double rent in the month of changeover, plus the new bond and moving costs. A stuck bond is basically an extortion tactic because they know you'll need the money soon enough in the new place.
Very common strategy among agents. It's very successful when used for smaller amounts, even a $200 claim withholds the full bond amount until the VCAT hearing. Anyone international will just pay up, as well as anyone with cash flow issues
Have the claim on your phone ready to go. Hand the keys back, then hit submit.
Definitely doing this
They won’t take you to VCAT over this. Just disconnect on your vacate day. They’re trying it on. Don’t communicate with them if they have cheek to hassle you about it. Just wait for them to act and you lodge the bond claim. This is one of those situations where you let them play it out. I guarantee they won’t because they know.
This 100%. What they are hoping for is a flustered ex tenant sacrificing all their bond, because the agent says they have damaged or worn out the property, or some other misdemeanour. Claim your bond immediately, and if they are that upset by something they want to accuse you of they will take you to VCAT (they won’t unless it’s egregious), and with your absolute right to disconnect the power the very second you leave, the agent should have had the manners to offer you some money to leave it on for three days FOR THEIR CONVENIENCE. But, these people are arseholes, they have no manners, or scruples.
Can someone enlighten me on why the real estate agent, the intermediary, would benefit from this? Wouldn’t it be the landlord, not Hodges, that is driving this & going to be the beneficiary of it?
It's for convenience that they are making this request. It's far easier to do a condition report and show around new prospective tenants if the lights are on and the power is working.
I meant in relation to a $5,500 fee for new carpets
Real estate agents charge fees to landlords for every email, letter, phone call or wet fart they create "managing" the property. So they are screwing the landlord over in the hopes they can trumpet their "success" to the landlord.
I love responding to shit like that with "I'll see you in VCAT cunt!"
Hodges did the same thing to us! Bunch of twats.
Do tell. I see a pattern. And the Murdoch press f’n love r/melbourne.
As you're aware, you have zero obligation to have the power left on once you've handed back possession. Also funny, they don't have 10 'business days' to conduct the exit inspection, it's 10 days. Also, you need to be given a reasonable opportunity to be there. Debatable as to whether them requiring you to advise them in advance that you'd like to be there (therefore forcing them to tell you the date and time it's taking place) would be regarded as them giving you a reasonable opportunity. That'd be up to VCAT to determine.
Didn't know about the 10 days. If it exceeds that, what happens? My REA claims they'll be out for the holidays approximately that long during he vacate period.
I think They have 10 days to make a claim on the bond after you submit your claim. If they don’t claim by then, you automatically get it back.
>I think They have 10 days to make a claim on the bond after you submit your claim. If they don’t claim by then, you automatically get it back. It's 14 days. It can sometimes be 20 if the rental provider doesn't have an email address linked to the bond (as they get notified of the claim by post).
Our REA pulled this. We advised them the power would be cut when we handed possession and they were welcome to conduct the inspection on the last day if they wish prior to us handing the keys. They ignored the option, then contacted us after we left saying the power didn’t work. No shit! We explicitly told them we rejected their request for power to remain connected and told them this was a landlord responsibility as we no longer rent the property. We got bond back in full and heard nothing more.
I had Harcourts Hallam (formerly Noble Park) try the same shit on me three times. I pointed out the laws to them repeatedly before they gave up. Since the owner was demolishing the house and we were already gone, I can't see any reason why we should.
is that Hallam one now (as in Harcourts ASAP) or was it more than 12 months ago?
Thats the correct one. We left them more than 12 months ago. Ive posted before in comments about how the agent at the exit inspection invited her friend over (I shit you not; had I not been there they definitely would've fucked) and after they left, I went for a piss only to discover the entire toilet seat/lid was detached and missing altogether. I searched the house, all the cupboards, the bins, the garage, down the side of the garage, all through the backyard, everywhere... Never found out what happened to the toilet seat.
So more than 12 months ago? That office got closed down, apparently for doing silly shit. I know of folks that where dealing with them, and nothing ever got fixed, and super hard to deal with.
You mean their Hallam office got shut down?? I'm not the slightest bit religious, but anyone here who is, you wanna make a toast to that Jesus fella for me? Edit- holy shit I just googled and they've moved again. I think thats 4 moves since the time we were with them (which was only around 15-16 months).
Can you please point me to the laws? Thanks :)
Tell them to get fucked. You can cancel it the day you vacate and I would definitely do this so you're not liable for any further charges.
You can just call your retailer and ask for a final read not a disconnection if you feel like being nice. Then just flip off the main switch when you leave. That notice is unreasonable and stupid. They can get the power connected in their name if they need it to inspect after you leave. It’s 100% not your responsibly.
I'm not even sure if you are legally obligated to have power connected while you do have the tenancy, let alone after it's end.
Primativists, unite!
Hilarious if true
EDIT: I was wrong, electricity retailer can cut power, disregard first paragraph. Pretty sure electricity never gets "turned off" to your house unless you flick the switch off. Any usage after you disconnect is billed to the next person. The disconnect/reconnect is mainly just a billing thing. This advice still remains Disconnect your plan through the retailer on the day after your move (in case delays etc), and flick the switch off when you leave for the last time. Agent will turn the switch on for the final inspection but you won't be billed for it.
I think you may be confused - your water is never disconnected at any point, and usage is just billed to the next person. Typically the power is turned off though.
The retailer absolutely can turn your power off. Smart meters have an isolation relay built in that can be activated remotely.
Sometimes they actually do. I had a rental once that was like that.
And take a meter reading to prove it.
I know gas works like that, but not electricity.
Yeah, once upon a time this was correct but Smart meters means that they can remotely disable your power.
Power is always turned off unless they’ve got another move request organised, in that case, they’ll just do a meter reading. The only services that aren’t turned off for move outs are gas and water.
Even after you cancel your account with the electricity provider, they usually won’t disconnect the power straight away. Should be no issues with it still being there for a few days.
Perhaps but it is still unethical, if someone moves in in that time and uses the electricity, I will essentially be paying for someone else's usage
No you won’t. Tell your provider your moving out on X date (noting any notice periods), on move out day turn off the main switch, take a final meter reading (pics for evidence), call your provider and tell them final meter reading and ask for a final bill. Any charges after this date are the owners responsibility, not yours.
Take a photo of the meter when you leave.
Put this on shit rentals if you want some public awareness on this RE.
Tell them to suck a d. Usually the utility provider will give it 2 or so weeks post closure of account before they disconnect.
We had a few try this. Just ignored them and didnt make it an issue. Power account was closed on our last day and did not hear a word about it. They cant do this and make sure you claim your bond on your last day - before you take the keys back. The power doesnt usually get turned off - its just the account thats closed, the inspection can go ahead and if you need to return the lights and water will still work. The owner is just cheap.
Hodges Mentone are such scumbags
This is so weird. Fuck these cunts
Yeah nah, they have no right to demand you pay for their power. Cut it off the day you vacate.
Real estate agents would have to be the most horrible people I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with ..
Power doesn't get physically disconnected tho when you leave, it will just go into limbo with no one really being charged for the electricity used during the interim of new tenants.
Is there a specific law you can point to about them not requesting this? I see it a lot and would love the ammunition to clip back at the scammy bastards
Is that requirement in the lease contract? Is there a law? If not, I would write back indicating you're happy to leave the electricity account active for three days provided the landlord agrees in writing to pay for the electricity used over that period.
Majority are smart meters so they don’t “disconnect”, you ring your supplier and tell them you’re moving and on ‘this’ date. Then when you’ve finished moving everything, flick off the mains via the switch box. Then immediately apply for your bond to be returned. Don’t wait for real estate agent to do it!
My experience is you tell the provider your moving date. They stop the account in your name, but the electricity stays on. They don't turn it off when you leave.
Yeah going to take photos of the meter for sure
Requiring steam cleaning us illegal now. Don't do that.
I just looked this up and you are actually right. I didn't realize that even if it stipulates in the lease agreement, it is not a legal requirement. That is if the unit is left in a reasonable condition. Because my lease agreement was prior to March 21 it is not a clause that holds any weight
never leave it on, had a freind have to pay a 6 month power bill for some other idiot that took over the place after. She asked the power company to disconnect and they didn't but you know no proof, seems like simpy energy only record calls for thier training purposes and loose them when it makes them money.
Yep, definitely flipping the switch and then taking a photo of the meter. If they want to show new tenants that the lights work then they can pay for it. Why you would need electricity to show an apartment in the daytime is beyond me
When I sold my house, house keys handover at noon. Left the property, real estate agent who sold it on my behalf rang me at 5pm. "Did you have the power disconnected?" I said yes, they asked what the new owners were going to do about hot water, cooking etc. I said how the fuck is this my problem? Go away. They did go away, never heard from them again. FFS.
Hahaha, umm.. reconnect it in their name?! 🤦♂️Ffs!
Why is that my responsibility?
No, I'm saying that they should reconnect it in their own name..
Ok cool. Sorry!! 😊 Yes exactly. I had pre organised my next properties utilities. Was pretty weird that I was at any point expected to make my now sold property liveable for next owners.
It's insanity, trying to get people who, in a lot of instances & certainly mine have spent all they have on moving to foot the bill for their own ends.
The power never gets cut, there is always supply. Also, there is 1,657 jobs on seek at the moment in the bayside area with the keywords “no experience”
Talk to Tenants Victoria. They are great. You do not have to leave the power on.
What is your plan if say, there are cleaning issues and they want you or a cleaner to go back in? I always leave it for 2-3 days for my own convenience and peace of mind, not for anyone else
Lodge a complaint with VCAT. these people need their ass kicked for unethical practices
"no". - signed, OP.
I think this is pretty standard though, my last rental stipulated this also.
Yeah, they will try convince you of it, but as noted in the 2nd slide it is not lawful or necessary
Damn, well that's exceedingly shitty :(
I had been renting since the 90s, this was standard in every rental 20 years plus. If no one is living there the costs are negligible. It’s so that there are lights work if they do the final inspection after hours or when it’s dark. I know this as for 20+ this has been communicated by REAs when I moved out. If OP believes it’s illegal then just talk directly to the agent. Communication is a pretty simple fix to this problem. This isn’t a hill to die on.
Yeah these REA will definitely tell the truth after outright lying. FUCK ALL REA's , their life should be difficult. Why would a REA be working after hours? Their job is to leach off people for a living. They're not working after 5.
In my last rental we always had the yearly inspections after hours. It turned out that the agent lived close by and was doing them on her way home to her family. It was the best use of her time and mine as it meant I could be there also. I simply spoke to her and found out that info. There’s something gross about dehumanising certain professions. These are someone’s family members. Sometimes people end up in jobs they have no interest in like this or even retail as an example as they too need to eat and live and will also be renting given how shit the pay is. It’s commonsense that the lowly property managers aren’t making the rules, in the same way the minimum wage staff at Coles aren’t setting the pricing.
I've been disconnecting the power on the day I leave a rental since 2003. It wasn't standard then and it isnt standard now. It has always advised to turn the power off on your last day.
It doesn't say they will charge you. It says if something is wrong (eg: the property wasn't cleaned properly) then someone will need to return to fix it and may need power such as vaccuming, steam cleaning, etc. Meaning you will need to reconnect power, fix the issue, and disconnect again.
yeah, I’m wondering if people can read before being outraged
I would think notifying them of the laws would yield better results than notifying r/melbourne.
I have, cheers though. This is a PSA because they are not a real estate you want to deal with. The fact that I have to notify them of what the laws are is beyond pathetic
I’ll 2nd that. Mentone office specifically.
My apartment flooded after a faulty tap blew off, they ignored every message I sent them, It was lucky that I knew a professional carpet / flooring layer and he lent me his carper fans / wet vacs. Afterwards they sent me messages indicating that it was my fault.
Did the PM remind you terribly of Karen and resign a few weeks ago? She was a nightmare.
The prime minister?
Property manager.
Oh, lol, soz been a long day
Unfortunately, in today's rental market picking and choosing which agents one deals with is often not an option.
I agree absolutely. If you get approved You are usually within a certain time frame that makes it next to impossible to pick and choose. There is no such thing as tyranny of choice when it comes to rentals unless you have money or a place to stay in the interim. It's sad, but forewarned is forearmed to a point
Just tell your retailer someone is moving in, and insist on a special read being done. I doubt they can charge you for the connection, but as long as your retailer closes your account, you won't be charged. But they don't have to turn off your power to close your account
When it comes down to it is not unreasonable if they guarantee you get your bond back. They need power to clean , inspect or get a tradie in. If needed, just take your final read of your utility's and keep them on hand until you get your bond back. Take lots of photos and clean the place better than when you moved in. If you have problems take them to the rental tribunal. Ps hope you have before photos.
You don’t have it disconnected. They just stop billing from the specific period
You need to notify your energy retailer of the date you exit the property. This ensures that your final bill can be organised and it protects you so you will not be charged for consumption that may occur after you've exited. It's very rare that the power will actually be disconnected, even when you've notified you're leaving. Actual physical disconnection only happens when specifically required, and it's a paid service from your distributor. Every retailer will list 'disconnection' and 'reconnection' fees, but these apply only for physical disconnect/reconnect for the premises, which only ever happens if the place is being permanently vacated, or when there's major renovation works planned etc. The much more common scenario is that the power remains on, and it's up to the incoming resident to set up their own new supply agreement with a new retailer of their choice when they move in. If they do not, then they'll be under a 'deemed' energy supply agreement with the original retailer, which is able to back-bill for any usage that has occurred since your move-out date.
Landlords are usually pricks but to be honest I don’t think they’re actually doing anything wrong here. There’s no consequence of you not doing it and they’re not really demanding you reconnect it if they need you to fix something. The point is if you need to vacuum or do any other cleaning that involves electricity, how are you going to do it without reconnecting the power? If you’re completely confident you deserve the bond, take photos of everything and apply for the bond the RFTA. If you’re not, turn off at the power box and keep it connected until they’ve done the inspection. It’s going to cost you virtually nothing.
Tell them to go wear socks.