Landlords, tenants must talk post-storms
Tenants and landlords should be in contact with each other immediately following a major weather event such as a flood or storm, the Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) has said.
“Landlords and tenants should talk to each other about the clean up,” RTA general manager Fergus Smith said.
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“If repairs to the property are required, it is the landlord’s responsibility to arrange and pay for them. The landlord should talk with the tenant to find a suitable time for the repairs to be done or issue an Entry Notice.”
The RTA’s call comes as central, northern and western Queensland endure record amounts of rain.
Mr Smith said the tenant is responsible for cleaning or removing their own possessions.
When the property has been significantly affected but it is agreed the tenant can continue to live there, the tenant and landlord may wish to negotiate a rent reduction.
According to the RTA, “a property is considered unliveable if it has been destroyed, is completely or partly unfit to live in, or if it is unsafe for health and safety reasons.
“In these cases, either the landlord or tenant can give the other person official notice to end the tenancy agreement on the grounds of non-liveability.The agreement ends on the day correct notice is given.
“The tenant must continue to pay rent until the tenancy has been officially ended.”
