The surprising household detail that can get landlords in trouble
A young Aussie mum has sparked fierce debate about rental rights and tenant versus landlord responsibility.
An unlikely rental hazard has sparked fierce debate with Australians divided after a young mum questioned who was responsible for repairing a broken glass door that was missing safety stickers after it was damaged by her child running into it.
According to the New South Wales mum, her 6-year-old boy ran into the glass door in the family's new rental property on the first day they moved in "because there is no safety tape on it".
"I believe this is not our fault, [it's] a safety issue that wasn’t assessed by the landlord and agent. Are we responsible to pay?" she asked online, in search of advice from others in the 'Don't Rent Me' Facebook group.
It might surprise some, but NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones took the side of the mum, telling Yahoo News Australia that safety stickers or decals are "not only a legal obligation" but also a "moral responsibility for landlords".
"Glass doors can pose a serious risk of injury if they are not visible or compliant with the relevant standards," she said.
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Disagreements over who is liable to pay
Markings may be a legal requirement but some of the many reactions to the mother's question were scathing. "Your son ran into it and broke it, this is absolutely your fault and not the landlord's," one person replied to her post.
"So a child runs into a door breaking the glass, let’s blame the landlord and call it a safety issue not take responsibility ourselves at all," another agreed.
However others came to the defence of the woman, confirming that safety stickers are "required on a sliding glass door". "The purpose of them is to prevent accidents exactly like this," one stated.
The mum ended up hitting back at the negative comments, adding "the upstairs door" has them so the landlord had "clearly just skimped on putting them on the door downstairs".
"For those questioning my ability to parent my kids, he legitimately didn’t see the door. He wasn’t misbehaving," she clapped back. "I don’t have an issue replacing something my children have damaged."
Glass doors must be made visible in Australia
According to The National Construction Code of Australia, glazing must be made visible per prescribed safety standards (AS 1288-2006). Safety stickers on glass doors are a requirement to make the glass visible and prevent potential collisions or injuries.
In NSW, under the NSW Residential Tenancy Act, a landlord must comply with the landlord’s statutory obligations relating to the health or safety of the residential premises and rental homes are required to meet minimum standards to be considered fit for habitation.
"These stickers or decals can help prevent accidents and collisions by making the glass more visible and providing enough contrast with the background. They are also easy to apply and affordable and can enhance the appearance of the property," NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones said.
She encourages NSW tenants to report non-compliance to NSW Fair Trading or apply for mediation if there is a dispute over the issue.
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