Landlord forced to pay renter $2,100 for repairs at Weston house, NSW
Landlord forced to pay tenant $2,100 for repairs to Weston House, NSW
A landlord has been ordered to pay his former tenant $2,100 for failing to keep the property in a “reasonable state of repair” after receiving a series of complaints about the home.
Debbie Mudford had moved into the house in Weston, in the Hunter region of NSW, in July 2021, paying $390 a week in rent.
The tenant was living with a host of problems, including a faulty hot water system, an ant infestation and a broken front gate that had been blown away by high winds.
Fed-up Mrs Mudford took legal action against her landlord, filing an application with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) in June 2022.
She requested a reduction in her rent, repairs to the house and $7,500 in damages. Ms Mudford left the property months later in August.
A landlord has been ordered to pay $2,100 to his former tenant after complaining about an ant problem, a faulty hot water system and a fence being blown away by the wind (stock image)
NCAT ruled in October, finding that ‘the landlord had failed to keep the property in a reasonable state of repair’.
Ants had been found in the kitchen, with Mrs Mudford paying $360 for pest control to solve the problem.
An inspection of the home in October 2021 also revealed that the hot water system was leaking.
A pressure relief valve for the hot water system was replaced in November, but in December Mrs Mudford told her landlord there was no hot water.
It took the landlord a week to replace the hot water system, leaving Mrs Mudford with huge water and gas bills.
The tenant had to pay $360 in water and gas from October 29 to January 4 when the water system was finally repaired.
Ms Mudford also complained about the dishwasher, which did not work from November 2021 until she moved out nine months later.
“The arbitral tribunal finds that the tenant has suffered inconvenience, loss and damage as a result of the landlord’s failure to repair or replace the dishwasher,” the arbitral tribunal ruled.
The front gate of the house had also blown off during windy weather in November 2021 and was not replaced while Mrs Mudford was still living there.
“The Tribunal finds that as a result of the landlord’s failure to repair or replace the gate, the tenant has suffered inconvenience, loss and damage and a significant reduction in security and privacy,” the tribunal found.
The landlord was ordered to pay damages for the ants, the defective hot water system, the dishwasher and the broken fence – a total of $2,100.
Ms Mudford’s other claims, such as damage to her car, were rejected.