Aussie landlord praised for kind act after property repair request
After the hot water stopped working, the tenants didn't expect the landlord to turn up on their doorstep.
Plenty of landlords have been given a bad rap of late due to soaring rents and sub-par rental offerings. But one property owner has been praised by their tenants who say they're "very lucky" to have such "good people" as their landlords.
The public praise came after the tenants received a surprising and "thoughtful" gesture from their landlord after they made a complaint.
Wanting to prove there are "still good people out there", the Melburnian shared their "amazing landlord interaction" on social media and explained their hot water stopped working suddenly earlier this month.
"It went bust the Friday before Cup Day and we had to call our property manager at around 7pm that night. She contacted the owner and got back to us within 20 minutes apologising profusely and advising that no one was able to come fix it until Monday," they wrote.
Landlord's surprise visit leaves couple in 'disbelief'
As promised, the hot water system was fixed by Monday morning and "has been fantastic since". "But we, unfortunately, had no hot water for 3 nights and my fiancée and I had to shower at close-by family members and/or friends' houses," they explained.
Three weeks later, to their surprise, the landlord appeared on their doorstep with a gift for the tenants — a bottle of red wine and a note to say they were "sorry for the hot water inconvenience".
"We’ve been at this unit for over two years now and just met them for the first time. They handed us this bag and we’ve been elated since," the renter said.
"We’re still in disbelief at how thoughtful it was of them considering all of the horror landlord stories that have been on this sub [reddit forum] lately. There’s still good people out there".
$15 wine gesture sparks debate
The gesture left some in awe of the "kind" landlord. "It’s nice to hear some good landlord stories sometimes," one person wrote. While another pointed out, "I manage a bottle shop and that's a great wine, not just some cheap bottom-shelf stuff". However online searches reveal a recommended retail price of just $15.
A third agreed that "not all landlords are bad". "Social media including Reddit is just a paradise place for those who complain. You hear more bad stuff on Reddit than good," they said.
However, some weren't convinced it was a nice gesture at all and said it was "cheaper to get you a gift" than an emergency plumber over the weekend.
In Victoria, landlords are required to respond to urgent repairs immediately, this includes hot water issues. If they don't, the renter can pay for the repair themselves and be reimbursed within seven days. Renters can also apply to VCAT if any issues arise.
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