A PRIVATE landlord of a Perth property has been fined $10,000 for failing to lodge security bonds twice and not providing tenant with condition reports.
Christina Maria Cramphorn of Warnbro was convicted in her
absence at Rockingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The court heard Ms Cramphorn entered into two residential
tenancy agreements in May 2018 and February 2019, receiving $3500 in security
bonds for the Kingsbridge Road property.
Ms Cramphorn breached the Residential Tenancies Act by failing
to lodge two security bonds with the bond administrator and failing to provide
the tenants with prescribed information outlining their rights and
responsibilities.
The court found she did not provide the tenants with property
condition reports at the start and end of their residential tenancy agreements.
She was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay $557.50 in costs.
Magistrate Leanne
Atkins noted that Ms Cramphorn was aware of her obligations as a private
landlord from an education letter sent to her in 2017 by the Department of
Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping said the
repeat breaches by a landlord who should know better were concerning.
"Failing to protect her tenant’s rights in the first instance is
bad enough, but then to do it a second time makes the situation much more
serious,” she said.
"Private landlords and real estate agents are duty-bound to
lodge bond money with the bond administrator as soon as practicable or within
14 days, and failure to lodge them at all is inexcusable.
"Property condition reports must be provided within seven days
of a tenant entering the property, as well as on their departure, to avoid
arguments about how the condition of the property has changed during the
tenancy.
"This conviction and penalty highlights how seriously all
lessors must take their legal responsibilities when renting out properties.”
Source: https://www.communitynews.com.au/weekend-courier/news/warnbro-landlord-fined-10k-for-two-time-failure/
For more information about lodging rental bonds, here is our
previous article: https://www.realrenta.com.au/blog/post/475
Don't forget to upload all
forms onto RealRenta to form part of the applicable tenancy
file.
Start your free trial of RealRenta here:https://app.realrenta.com/Signup.aspx
Marlene Liontis
Monday, 9 March 2020