I have lived in my rental unit in regional nsw for 6 years now. The unit is 43 years old. Our landlord chose to use a different real estate for management approximately 18 months ago. Since then, our rental inspections have gone from every 6 months to every 4 months, and today I have received a notice for another rental inspection only 3 months after the last. The condition of the unit has not degraded in the time that I have lived there. The landlord has carried out minor wear and tear repairs. I find these over frequent inspections stressful, and raises my anxiety given the current housing affordability climate. I feel as though I have done something wrong having an inspection so regularly, even though there is rarely a mention from the real estate after each inspection. The real estate also tries to push me back onto a fixed term agreement every year as I am on an ongoing agreement now. Also the unit still has ceramic fuses in the fuse box and still has an exhaust fan in the kitchen as opposed to a ducted rangehood. Do I have any rights in returning inspections back to six months? How can we avoid u due pressure by a real estate?
In NSW, up to 4 property inspections are allowed each year. This means a frequency of around 3 months should 4 occur each year.
Have you spoken to the real estate agent asking if the number per year can be reduced so it is agreeable to all parties?
It is also worth noting that inspections serve a number of purposes. That being to ensure the property is being looked after by the tenant, but also to see if there are any maintenance issues, the responsibility of the landlord, to resolve. Being a 43 year old property and from past history of maintenance occurring, the inspections on your unit might be for both purposes. In someways, regular and proactive maintenance inspections might be a good thing, as it reduces tenants reporting problems with they arise.
Some useful info by Choice on renters rights.
The first item may be a concern, especially for older NSW rentals which escape regulation of safety upgrades.
The electrical safety requirements also differ slightly between each state and territory. For newer
NSW rental properties your electrical circuits should be protected by a safety switch or switches. These need to be inspected and tested on a regular basis by a registered/licensed electrician for proper operation. Your agent should know the requirements specific to your property and confirm compliance. Landlords responsibility if installed.
General:
For more specific advice - Tenants Union NSW
Ceramic fuse wire holders are high risk. When we upgraded our older property we found the main fuse had a bare copper wire, in place of fuse wire. There are further risks for owners or tenants through errors or misunderstandings in accessing the switchboard/meter box in response to a faulty circuit or blown fuse. That they can be legal for older NSW rental properties does not make it right.
Kitchen ceiling vent fans if they do not have a duct to the outside ultimately cause a build of oils fats and grease in the ceiling cavity. Attractive to vermin as well as increasing the fire hazard. There’s no regulated requirement for how the fan venting is directed with the exception of roof or ceiling spaces that are fully sealed (most typical of modern energy efficient design).
Hi 
,
Landlord here. Inspections that are held one or twice a year is more than frequent enough to be alerted to any maintenance issues, especially if the tenant is pro-active in notifying the property manager when anything arises. Any more frequent inspections is just intrusive and unnecessary.
I rented a place once and 3 monthly inspections were standard policy for the property manager so I feel your pain. The inspections were done according to a set schedule so I had my first one about 4 weeks after I had moved in; I’d literally just finished unpacking. I had also already reported all of the issues that needed fixing so it was completely unnecessary.
My experience with Real Estate Agents is they are very dictatorial when it comes to house inspections.
You receive a letter telling you the inspection will take place on such and such a date at such and such a time, and if you are not at home they will use a master key to enter the premises.
No attempt is made to contact you and negotiate a time that is suitable for both parties, especially if you, the tenant, wish to be in attendance when the inspection takes place - which is NOT an unreasonable request.
This attitude seems to be dictatorial and a lack of respect for tenants privacy in my view, and all real estate agents are guilty of this.
I also had an experience when I was away from home for a few weeks, and during that time, unbeknown to me, the estate agent sent a pest controller around the do a pest check and spray in the house.
I discovered this when I arrived back home to find a note on the kitchen table advising me that a pest controller would be carrying out an inspection.
Of course, I never received the note as I was away for a few weeks, so some pest controller came into my residence without my permission or knowledge and nobody else in attendance.
I consider that breach of privacy and unnacceptable risk.
BB
Assuming it relates to NSW rental properties the tenants rights are precluded providing the purpose access is required is prescribed and the notice period is met. As to being home or agreeing a day and time?
How notices are to be delivered will be as set out in the rental tenancy agreement.
According to the spiel, the landlord or agent may have the right to enter without tennants permission BUT this is totally disrespectful to the tenants privacy, no matter what the laws say.
BB
A reflection on the way landlords and rental agencies are happy for it to be. One gets to choose or not a rental property. The rental agent and landlord ask and get to review, sometimes more than is reasonable, of a prospective tenant a very detailed resume. For the prospective tenant there is no obligation on the agent or landlord to offer anything of substance in return. IE to substantiate their past performance and treatment of tenants.
It’s a very lopsided arrangement, with similar in other jurisdictions. Fair and balanced depending on one’s vested interests?
