As Australia's trade shortages and housing crisis continue, there are growing concerns that there is a lack of enforcement of do-it-yourself (DIY) renovations and repair work on rental properties.
The rise in shoddy repairs and renovations in rental properties has been dubbed “landlord specials” on tenant rights internet forums.
Broken Hill real estate agent Zeta Bennett says areas like hers in the NSW Far West are becoming increasingly popular with buyers looking for “better properties” because of the affordability of the market. He says it's increasing.
She says that while many people who renovate properties for sale or rental are good at doing so, and many have trade backgrounds, not everyone does it according to plan. That's what it means.
“Eight times out of 10, everything is great,” Bennett said.
“But some people do renovations that are not up to quality or appropriate standards. It becomes a question of value.”
A house built with DIY repairs
Ellen, whose real name has been withheld to protect her privacy, describes the moldy granny flat she rents in a regional New South Wales city as an “absolute nightmare”.
The private rental property she has been living in since 2020 has had a number of problems, many of which were caused by extensive repairs carried out by the landlord or other unauthorized persons.
These problems were compounded when the property was heavily damaged in the 2022 floods, which took the landlord 18 months to repair.
“They found a pensioner who would do the job, but he wasn't like a builder who works on regulations and stuff like that,” Ellen said.
“He was working at the direction of the property owner, and I think his primary direction was to keep costs down.”
The tenant, who relies on disability assistance, said there had been no attempt to address the mold other than an unlicensed contractor spraying it with clove and oil before installing the tiles.
“What was under the flooring was truly diabolical,” Ellen said.
“The boards and the mold, the smell was just incredible.”
Photos seen by ABC show that one of the exterior walls of Grandma's apartment was unfinished, with no cladding, insulation or protection from the elements.
The same image taken from outside the wall showed plumbing hoses connected to the house in a pool of muddy water, pinned down by rocks.
Another photo showed a large hole in the bathroom floor that opened after particle board, a non-waterproof building material, collapsed under the tiles.
Ellen said the hole has been repaired, but the smell of damp remains.
Water supply and water quality issues also persisted throughout her tenancy.
“When we moved in, we were told that the water wasn't good for drinking, so we were told that we would be provided with drinking water that was UV filtered,” Ellen said.
“But it turns out they didn't replace the filter cartridge for UV filtration, which is pretty important.”
Rise of “Landlord Special”
Leo Patterson-Ross from the New South Wales Tenants Union says one in four people seeking advice have concerns about repair or maintenance issues.
The 2022 Housing Situation Survey, led by the Australian Center for Housing Research, found that 45 per cent of renters rated their properties as average, poor or very poor.
“Poor housing conditions are putting the health of renters at risk,” Patterson said.
“43% report problems with moisture or mold, and 35% say they have difficulty keeping their homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer.”
The tenant union is calling for an independent assessment of the rental property to ensure it meets “physical and management standards”.
“We need proactive regulators who can take on the heavy lifting of enforcement against renters and ensure the system works to provide safe and healthy housing,” Patterson said.
regulations are not enforced
A spokesperson for the NSW Building Commission said NSW requires “a license or certificate to carry out residential building work where the cost of labor and materials (including GST) exceeds $5000”. It was confirmed.
This includes works such as bathroom and kitchen renovations.
Despite these regulations, they are difficult to enforce.
Real estate agent Zeta Bennett said most buyers undergo a building inspection before purchasing an investment property, but an inspection is not required before a property can be rented out.
Instead, it was up to the rental agent to ensure that the property complied with rental laws.
But Bennett added that there are limits to what agents can do.
“We are always doing evaluations, which are inspections to determine if a property meets our standards,” she said.
”[We look] There are risks to water efficiency and health and safety, but we ourselves are not common sense.
“Of course, that process can only take you so far.”
Tenants can lodge complaints with the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), but questions remain about the landlord's ability to do so.
“NCAT can order landlords to make changes, but enforcement can be quite limited,” Ms Bennett said.
She acknowledged that often the only recourse for tenants is to find another rental property.
Fewer options in a shrinking market
As Australia's housing crisis worsens, rent affordability is at an all-time low, making it nearly impossible for tenants like Ellen to find new accommodation.
She has been trying to move out of her grandmother's apartment for the past two years, but she worries that if she reports her landlord to NCAT, she will be evicted.
Broken Hill landlord Colby Stenhouse, 23, says he knows how stressful and competitive the rental market can be, especially in rural areas.
“When you put it in [the properties] “It’s not uncommon for us to have 150 applications for rentals,” he said.
“We rented to a tenant who was very anxious, she has a disability and we couldn’t find a property that would accept a pet.
“She was just blown away that she had found a place where she could really feel comfortable.
mutual respect is key
Stenhouse, an air conditioner repairman, said he has renovated three properties himself and takes great pride in his work.
“I try to do the best I can. I know furniture, carpentry and all that stuff,” he said.
“Of course, we'll leave the electrical and plumbing matters to the experts.”
Stenhouse believes it all comes down to mutual respect.
“I think you need to have a good relationship with your tenants,” he said.
“You want them to respect your property and you, and they want you to respect them. So it works both ways.”
Ellen, a long-term tenant now in her 50s, is most frustrated with landlords who, unlike Stenhouse, won't hire professionals to carry out renovations.
“There's no consideration whatsoever for the people who actually live in the building,” she says.
“It's just, 'Let's hit something and make a little extra money.'
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