r/shitrentals

Advice needed- end of lease issues re cleaning and property condition

Hi first time poster here so forgive me for any errors
I had an end of lease inspection for a unit I had been living in for 7 years. I spent about a month of going back and forth moving and cleaning. This included a weekend where my mum and aunty came and helped me deep clean every over a weekend, I also hired cleaners and a gardener for last weekend.
I’ve gotten an email from the property manager accusing me of leaving the property in worse condition than when I got it, including implying I’ve broken the air conditioner, stolen a mirror and smoked inside (all which are categorically false). She’s also wanting to know what caused “gray matter” on the walls. I have my theory about this which is that due to the cornices being constantly separated from the walls (unit built in the 70s), dust has consistently fallen through cracks in the ceiling- which has been exacerbated by possum and mice living in the roof. She has also NEVER raised this as an issue after 7 years worth of inspections.
I’m not really sure what to do here. Any advice would be really appreciated
Thanks.
Edit: Will also add that the property is already up for rent online for $50 a week more and is apparently available to rent from tomorrow. Photos I know she took from the inspection have been used in the advertisement.

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u/No_Bodybuilder_3142 — 1 day ago

Building manager keeps turning off hot water supply with no notice, what can we do?

Morning r/shitrentals fam!

Had a frosty awakening this morning when I went to shower before work and found that our unit’s hot water had been turned off for the second time in two weeks. Building manager claims they turn off the hot water for the building because of “high wind and rain.” Tenants are not being notified of this either.

Screenshot is of managers explanation the first time it happened, but surely turning off the hot water with no notice to tenants is a breach?

Melbourne property if that adds any context.

u/SmonkyPurpp — 1 day ago

Asked to babysit sick landlord

I thought I would share my absurd story for entertainment. Unfortunately it’s my reality.

So today my landlord (owns the building, doesn’t live far from me) starts banging on my door saying his wife is sick and needs a lift home. I don’t have a car, so I offer to call her an Uber. He says can’t my parents come get her instead?? Sir, no.

Offer an Uber or an ambulance again, both refused. Then he asks if she can just… lie down in my apartment. For context it was 11am and their son “can’t” pick her up until 7pm because he’s working. So the plan was for a woman I barely know to occupy my living room for EIGHT HOURS.

I said absolutely not, I have things to do today. Somehow she still ends up on my sofa (with her shoes on, on my sofa) while this gets sorted, and I am dry heaving from the smell in my own apartment. I call the son myself since the husband is asking me to. Son flatly refuses to leave work to get his own mother. The husband has to negotiate with son on the phone in front of me while I’m standing in my own home like a hostage negotiator for a family drama I did not sign up for.

End result: she gets moved along eventually and lands on my elderly neighbour instead, who is currently unwell herself. So a sick old woman ends up looking after another sick woman because two grown men couldn’t be bothered.

This unfortunately is not a one off boundary crossing.

I just wanted to change and do some uni work. Instead I became an unpaid, unwilling nurse/negotiator for my own landlord’s family. Send help, or at least send tissues for my sofa.

I hope you have all been thoroughly entertained.

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u/Millicie1 — 2 days ago

Worthless building management

Hello, was hoping for advice to report management to an entity more inclined to give a shit about the tenants in my building. The body corporate is pretty worthless even if you own an apartment in the building.

I saw a whole rug in the recycling bin this morning, when I got home from work this is how the bins looked.

Theres multiple local businesses who pay to be allowed to chuck their recycling in here but they don't leave any room for actual tenants and it's been ongoing for at least a year.

I've seen multiple times as well where the recycling bins are just rolled over underneath the garbage chute to take rubbish in when the red bin is full.

What shits me even more is this stupid sign.

Happy to fill out reports, collect more photos to document etc.

u/ThisYouPoster7 — 2 days ago

We investigated rent tech platforms about the excessive information they’re collecting

Thought you might be interested in the series, we spoke to the privacy commissioner, researchers, rent tech representatives, landlords, tenants unions, and Jordan. Biggest takeaway was the approach to data security and the “renter score” you get (I had no idea about that!).

I’m keen to share more stories, questions an and experiences with the tech, too. We’ve got 2Apply agreeing to speak to us in a few weeks.

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/downloadthisshow/the-rental-algorithm-the-invisible-system-judging-renters/106932420

u/raejohnston — 2 days ago

What constitutes "urgent" when it comes to issues identified in an exit report?

Hey all.

My wife and I recently finished up a 2 year lease that was terminated because the homeowners wanted to move back into the property.

We asked the REA for their reccommended cleaner and paid just over $1000 to have the property cleaned for end of lease. We also paid around $800 for a gardener (also previously recommended by the REA) to get the property looking good for our exit.

We handed the keys in yesterday morning (Tuesday) and claimed our bond. Yesterday evening at about 6pm, we received the exit report from the REA and an accompanying message that identified issues needed to be "urgently" addressed because the owners are moving back in on Thursday or Friday.

The list of issues relate to both the cleaning work and gardening work done and are all pretty minor. Some examples include food crumbs in a drawer, some cat litter caught in the grout in a bathroom, and weeds in a veggie patch.

I've let the REA know that the cleaners will go back around to address issues and gave them permission to receive a copy of our exit report to ensure everything is taken care of. I've also asked the REA to get some quotes from gardeners/handymen to address anything in the gardens (e.g. weeds, removal of some green waste).

My question: Is it reasonable for the REA to expect us to get everything done by Thursday afternoon (tomorrow)? My wife and I both work full time and I'm also still recovering from a broken shoulder; it's really not feasible that we can rush to get this done for them ourselves. We've captured via email that we're both happy to get the issues rectified, but that the provided timeline is unrealistic given our circumstances.

My gut feeling is that these issues are "urgent" for the REA because they messed up in giving the owners a move-in date so close to our exit date. But I've not really had an experience like this so would love some input.

Thanks!

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u/twosloth — 2 days ago

house rental

Hi all - moved into a house rental from out of state. I was able to have a friend walk through it before signing but couldn’t see it myself.

drove 12 hours with a toddler and infant to find the house gross… it obviously hadn’t been cleaned. There were dead bugs and cobwebs. I complained immediately. I also suspect a slight issue with cockroaches. They said it was my responsibility. I LOLed at them and insisted via state law that they remedy the situation. (Fingers crossed).

Now onto my question. We done a thorough clean ourselves and got rent reduced. But whenever I shower in the primary bathroom the heat and… humidity does this to the walls. It’s like they’re weeping….

First does anyone know what this could be.
Second is it a health hazard to my kiddos.

Thank you all!

u/Additional_Water9196 — 2 days ago

Advice needed on asking for a rent reduction due to faulty hot water service

Hi,

So suddenly the hot water in my building is going cold/lukewarm at night so we emailed the building manager who told me to speak to my PM, then after I've emailed the PM he comes back and says one of the buildings hot water pump is broken so during peak times it's not pumping the water around properly and leading to lukewarm showers at night. So obviously this is an urgent matter they are going to fix right away right? Wrong it took them 3 weeks to fix and the building managers advice to me? Take earlier showers to avoid peak times. I have a 2 year old who showers at 7:30 before bed every night so it's just not possible for him to get in the bath at 5. He also is telling me because it's going to cost $12k to fix they have to get 3 quotes and the last one is taking a long time to come. He kept saying the $12k thing repeated the price a bunch of times, like "annnnnd? I need hot water bro I don't give a fuck how much it costs the owners, our rent is $2500 a month for a fucking shoe box and amenities are part of what I pay for"

Anyway apparently it's getting replaced on Thursday so that's good, but I've pretty much had to send an email every few days to find out when it was going to be and why its taking so long. I even emailed the PM again and he emailed the owners courp too.

So I'm wondering if I should emai my PM and ask for a rent reduction for the month. How much is fair if so? 3 weeks of unreliable hot water was fucking shit but the building manager is kinda acting like I'm the only one who cares and have therefore cost the owners heaps of money or something. I suffer from thinking everything is my fault but also having an intense need for fairness so I struggle to let things like this go because 3 weeks? Seriously wtf.

Thoughts?

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u/hatty130 — 1 day ago

Is this legal? (Genuine question)

My partner and I did not want to renew the lease in this property so we communicated it to the agent.

Long story short: we struggled to find a new place so we contacted the agent to ask whether we could stay here for another year. She told us about the advertising costs and then she sent us this email.

I just wanted to ask whether it is legal to ask us money for the advertising. Again, I'm genuinely asking. If she's in the right then I'll pay, no issues.

UPDATE: we decided to pay, as we were scared of not getting the apartment again. Thank you for all the tips and suggestions. There are also a lot of people who missed the point but, overall, the majority of you were helpful so thanks again.

u/Impossible-Ad-9377 — 3 days ago

Is this illegal?

I privately (no real estate involved) rent a two bedroom unit in NSW and recently my roommate moved out. However, a week before she moved she broke the Landlord's washing machine. It filled with black water, locked the doors and would get stuck in the middle of a cycle and wouldn't spin out the excess water from the clothes so it leaves you with soaking wet, dripping clothes.

My landlord has said that he is going to make me and my ex-roommate pay for the repairs (even though I wasn't the one who broke it) as he said "I'm not Santa, I not spending money on fixing everything" but I don't even know if he will be able to contact her for the money as she moved out of state and I'm scared the repair invoice will fall on me to pay...

My lease doesn't mention any of the appliances and only mentions how much rent I need to pay (which covers my wifi and utilities) and an agreement to have my pet lizard in the unit.

Is this legal for him to do? I'm scared I will be saddled with a big bill I don't have the money to pay for. This is my first rental experience and so far it's been terrible...

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u/Dry-Pressure-5536 — 3 days ago

Agent not backing off even after being shown conversation with Tenants Vic

My previous post

https://www.reddit.com/r/shitrentals/s/JpeHxykDQa

So we are moving out early and organising a lease transfer to make it easier for ourselves. That way we are not hostages of their final inspection and claiming our bond over stupid things.

However, the agent insists that because all renters are moving out, this won't be a transfer but a lease break, subject to final inspection and fees.

I already emailed her the exact legislation and sent her screenshots of my live chat with Tenants Vic where they literally said "your REA is wrong*.

We had 2 applicants and the agent called me yesterday to say they were both rejected because of visa expiring too soon and not being able to afford rent.

Ok... So I do more inspections and find another 3 applicants, one of them I know meets all the affordability criteria, and they applied straight away. My move out date aligns perfectly with their move in date, happy days!!

The agent is insisting on making this a lease break and giving new renters a 12 month lease, no doubt so they can charge more rent (even though I'm advertising the house at my current rent amount) and so they can take my bond.

I spoke to CAV and was hoping they could intervene but all they did was give me the same legislation Tenants Vic gave me, and told me to email the agency's OEC. And if that doesn't work, apply for a VCAT order to force the transfer.

Who's to say the new renter would be willing to wait until a VCAT decision and miss out on other rentals, besides they would get the clear message this REA is cooked so they would give up.

I sent the email to OEC today saying we would rather not have to apply for vcat and if we do we will lodge a formal complaint against the agency at CAV and Estate Agents Resolution Services.

Honestly I'm not sure why I'm posting this, I'm just so tired and stressed and bloody sick of REAs being this scummy.

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u/readthebananabritta — 3 days ago
▲ 59 r/shitrentals+2 crossposts

Bond Dispute - Bathroom Basin

Hi, as the title suggests, the rental agency is trying to claim $320 for the two bathroom basins claiming the below,

"Bathroom Basins – Damage

Both bathroom basins have visible cracks/crazing to the internal glazed surface.

These defects remain present and were not addressed during the rework.

Based on our inspection, the basins surface require repair or replacement. We are currently obtaining a quotation for the repair costs.

quote: $320"

I am not sure how well the photo shows this but although the lines are visible, the glazed surfaces are completely smooth to the touch, with no chips, grooves or impact damage that can be felt, it's really more of a scuff which isn't going away. Given the nature of the marks, I don't feel that it indicates damage caused by misuse or negligence during the tenancy and want to know if this can be considered as wear and tear because from what I could find online, such surface deterioration can develop over time through normal use, ageing of the finish, or repeated temperature and moisture exposure.

Have any of you faced something similar? Am I just incorrect with my judgement here?

u/kobi_wan_ — 4 days ago

Retaliation?

Has anyone been taken to NCAT for what they believe is a retaliatory bond claim? My agent claimed my entire bond with no receipts 11 days ago. The 7 day mandatory time to provide the receipts passed and I emailed today (4 days post the mandatory time) asking for the receipts and noting I’ll be going to NCAT if they weren’t provided.

2 hours later, the agent lodged a case through NCAT for my bond + $2000 extra. Two of the receipts she has provided are dated today (11 days post bond claim) and 2 more receipts are dated 4 days after the bond claim was made.

I am more than happy to pay what was/is fair but now I believe this isn’t right. Would love to hear other experiences?

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u/Charming-Marketing32 — 3 days ago

My first rent. Do i have to fix it myself?

This is my first house rental and i know it's really old but the condition they gave me is still quite bad. Do i have to renovate myself or can i get the landlord to help me with repairs? (I just got the key and still have 7 days to finish the condition report)

My main concern is there's a long (5m) thin wood badly nailed the the floor to hide a gap that allows you to see (and smell) underneath the house (1st pic). And the front gate is broken off (2nd pic). Cracked floors are everywhere too.

Thanks for any recommendations/ solutions guys

u/Plz_GimmeFood — 3 days ago

Landlord trying to withhold bond

Hi guys, my landlord is trying to say me not washing the dishes clean enough, not vacuuming the floor well enough and apparently causing a minor scratch (he has no evidence) in his oven will amount to my entire bond. I was going to report him to the ATO as he obviously didn't lodge the bond, but on the Tasmanian government website it says it is illegal for a tenant to pay a bond in cash. Will I be penalized as well if I report him?

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u/eggethgalore — 3 days ago

A small rant

I’m so fucking pissed off.

My REA had a routine inspection booked for today. I’m literally one week into a new job, and because I don’t want these people coming into my home when I’m not there, I organised to take the day off work unpaid so I could be home for it.

Then, on the fucking morning of the inspection, they cancel it.

So now I’ve lost income, taken time off from a brand new job where I obviously don’t want to be asking for unnecessary time off, and I’m presumably going to have to organise another day off whenever they decide to reschedule it.

I genuinely cannot fucking stand dealing with REAs.

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u/cstjohn1994 — 4 days ago

Over $400pw to live in a dump with 8 other people

Seen in a FB sharehouse group. 7 current residents and they’re looking for 2 more. Only 2 toilets. I didn’t include all the photos as some were a bit more personal, but they were all equivalently bleak, bits falling off the walls and the kitchen definitely not fit for 9 people. No outside space shown either.

u/colourful_space — 5 days ago
▲ 20 r/shitrentals+3 crossposts

Property Cash Flow Institute - Justin Young

A Warning to Anyone Considering Rent-to-Rent Rooming House "Coaching" from Justin Young / Property Cash Flow Institute

Disclaimer: This post references a coaching call conducted by Ascension Rooming Houses, on which an AI agent clearly disclosed at the outset that the call was being recorded. Under Ascension Rooming Houses' Terms of Service, all content, communications, and materials generated within or arising from its coaching programme are the intellectual property of Ascension Rooming Houses and may be used, including for public disclosure and advertising purposes, at its discretion.

Who I am, upfront: My name is Vincent Holthouse. I run Ascension Rooming Houses, a rent-to-rent rooming house education and coaching business. I have a direct competing offer to the one I'm about to describe. I'm telling you that before anything else because I don't want a single person reading this to think I'm hiding it. I'm posting under my own name, with evidence, because leaving my name on this and saying anything that wasn't true would leave me open to a defamation claim. That is not the situation here, because everything I'm about to describe is accurate, and I believe people are at real risk of losing real money.

The background

Late in 2025, a man named Justin Young, who runs Property Cash Flow Institute, enrolled in my high-level coaching programme. On our sales call, he told us directly that he did not have the skills to implement the rent-to-rent rooming house model and that he had never set up or run a single rent-to-rent project. He said he wanted to learn the skill from scratch so he could start building it out himself. He paid for 12 months of coaching.

Before enrolling with me, Justin worked as a salesperson for a company that builds and sells new-build rooming houses. That company does not operate the rent-to-rent model at all, it is a new-build business, which is a different model entirely. In my opinion, selling on behalf of a builder, without ever personally sourcing, negotiating, or operating a project, does not amount to expertise in rent-to-rent rooming houses. Just because someone sells yachts doesn't make them a sailor, and it doesn't mean they know how to build one.

He was active in the programme for a couple of months, learning from the material I built over the past decade. During that time, he approached another student in my community and purchased two projects from them, his very first projects. He did not source them, negotiate them, or build the feasibility on them himself.

Shortly after that purchase, he began running Facebook ads presenting himself as an expert in rent-to-rent rooming houses, and started signing paying clients into his own coaching programme, teaching people the exact model he told us two months earlier that he had zero experience in.

Why this matters

By the time he started signing clients, Justin would have only just been finishing his very first project. That project would not yet have broken even, let alone turned a profit. At that point, he had never personally negotiated a rent-to-rent deal with an agent or owner, had never independently assessed a feasibility, and had no experience operating at scale or navigating the compliance issues that come with this model over time.

I've been doing this for a decade. It took me years to understand the pitfalls that show up in feasibilities and in operating these projects at scale, the mistakes that don't show up until project three, or project ten, or year three. Someone with a few months and one unprofitable project behind them is not in a position to guide anyone else through that. In my opinion, it's the blind leading the blind. In my opinion, it's the equivalent of taking a martial arts class from someone wearing a black belt who has had one lesson in their entire life.

People getting into these projects are typically putting in anywhere from $5,000 to $60,000+ per project. For some of you, that's your life savings. Taking that kind of financial risk on the guidance of someone who has walked the path for a few months, once, is not a decision you should make without knowing the full picture.

The evidence

  • A recorded, hour-long call in which Justin explains he has never done even one rent-to-rent project or new build for that matter
  • Screenshots of his purchase of my coaching programme
  • Screenshots of him in our active student community searching for his first ever deal, only months ago
  • Extensive direct conversations with him
  • A cease and desist letter sent by our lawyers, which he responded to but did not comply with

Why I'm posting this

The cease and desist was my first step, and it went nowhere. Posting publicly, under my own name, with evidence attached, is my next option, and I'm taking it because I'd rather deal with the discomfort of calling this out than watch people find out the hard way.

I don't need you to buy anything from me. I don't care whether you do or don't. What I care about is Australian investors going into this with their life savings and coming out with nothing because they trusted someone who had no business teaching this in the first place.

If you've seen Justin Young or Property Cash Flow Institute's ads, or spoken to him and been told he's an expert in this space, he isn't. Believe what you want, but the evidence is here, and the warning is clear.

EVIDENCE 👇
https://fathom.video/share/tDZxfzVbMXwjDKZXZLnsP1S6BVjVtjzN

u/OkChoice5813 — 3 days ago
▲ 17 r/shitrentals+4 crossposts

What makes you reject a rental property immediately?

Forget the rent for a second.
For me, some of the biggest red flags would be:
• Hidden charges
• Owner constantly interfering
• Bad water pressure
• No proper parking
• Poor maintenance
• Security issues
• Photos that look nothing like the actual place
• “Family only / No friends / No guests” type restrictions
Sometimes a slightly more expensive place with a hassle-free owner is actually cheaper mentally.
What’s the #1 red flag that makes you walk away from a rental?

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u/nirdeshmaanrealtor — 4 days ago