Fiona Martin, the owner of a pristine four-bedroom investment property, has faced a nightmare scenario with her recent tenant. This tenant, owned at least four dogs and several birds, left the home in a state of utter disrepair while reportedly accumulating over $30,000 in unpaid rent.
Despite Fiona’s attempts to resolve the situation through bureaucratic channels and tribunals, it took months to evict the tenant. Upon gaining access to her property once more, she discovered a shocking scene filled with rubbish bags, empty drink bottles, animal waste, and bird seed scattered throughout.
While Fiona faces significant financial loss, her frustrations are primarily directed at the system rather than her former tenant. She expressed her dissatisfaction with how inadequate the support and processes were from the moment problems began to arise. Despite her efforts, including trying to assist the tenant in finding public housing, Fiona believes the system is flawed and fails both landlords and tenants alike.
This distressing experience has highlighted the struggles within rental laws and the need for reform, as Fiona calls attention to the broken system that left both her and her tenant without adequate support.