Society/Culture Landlords - What is the point?

[yodellinhank]

That's fine, but unsure how they should be illegal.

That's the bit I'm grappling with with Gralin's post. What makes them illegal?

The idea is all housing should be accessible so as not to discriminate. There are minimum building standards which have to be adhered to already so you can argue that it's discrimination against people of disability not to consider their needs.

Knowing just how much goes into making a place "accessible", I'm not sure it is practical to enforce across the board. I think the space required would surprise most people. Wider doorways, big spaces near halls and room entry points, flush surfaces etc.

I'd prefer it was just cheaper to build something for purpose. Builders just don't want to know about you and it seems to only be getting worse.

 

[Gralin]

The idea is all housing should be accessible so as not to discriminate. There are minimum building standards which have to be adhered to already so you can argue that it's discrimination against people of disability not to consider their needs.

Knowing just how much goes into making a place "accessible", I'm not sure it is practical to enforce across the board. I think the space required would surprise most people. Wider doorways, big spaces near halls and room entry points, flush surfaces etc.

I'd prefer it was just cheaper to build something for purpose. Builders just don't want to know about you and it seems to only be getting worse.

the number of places that put everything upstairs now is getting worse

like downstairs is a double garage, and a laundry, maybe a spare bedroom. You might get a toilet or laundry but a lot of places are built over these big garages now.

Its not great and i doubt most people would think twice about it

 

[Frank Grimes]

For people like my child or the elderly. You can get stair lifts which are quite expensive and not always a solution. In the case of my son (who also has intellectual as well as mobility issues) or the elderly stairs can pose a massive even catastrophic fall risk. Often, in the case of townhouses especially, I suspect the turning circles and landings required may not be possible.

If the house is not suitable then why buy/rent the place to start with? I'm not sure why you wouldn't consider your personal circumstances when finding a house to live in. If stairs are an issue I would have thought that would automatically rule out two storey houses.

 

[yodellinhank]

If the house is not suitable then why buy/rent the place to start with? I'm not sure why you wouldn't consider your personal circumstances when finding a house to live in. If stairs are an issue I would have thought that would automatically rule out two storey houses.

It does. It rules out most places, and that is the point. I can't find a suitable place, I need to build one.

 

[Captivating]

I said should be illegal not is illegal

I still don't get it. What, exactly, should be illegal?

 

[Gralin]

I still don't get it. What, exactly, should be illegal?

Because they're building housing that isn't fit for a large chunk of the population and if they aren't forced to they never will

 

[Captivating]

Because they're building housing that isn't fit for a large chunk of the population and if they aren't forced to they never will

You can't make second storey house illegal. And it goes against everything your fighting for in terms of more housing stock.

The only way you increase stock is more dense housing, which means more and more double storey development.

Since 2022, the ground level of new builds must meet certain accessibility requirements. There are some exceptions related to the slope of the land which makes not having stairs impractical.

 

[Gralin]

You can't make second storey house illegal. And it goes against everything your fighting for in terms of more housing stock.

The only way you increase stock is more dense housing, which means more and more double storey development.

Since 2022, the ground level of new builds must meet certain accessibility requirements. There are some exceptions related to the slope of the land which makes not having stairs impractical.

i must have missed the part where I said I wanted to make 2 story houses illegal

 

[Gralin]

Also Captivating those new regs from 2 years ago only come into effect now

and they don't require homes to have ground floor showers or bedrooms, just that they have one accessible shower, which if its upstairs kind of defeats the purpose

 

[yodellinhank]

You can't make second storey house illegal. And it goes against everything your fighting for in terms of more housing stock.

The only way you increase stock is more dense housing, which means more and more double storey development.

Since 2022, the ground level of new builds must meet certain accessibility requirements. There are some exceptions related to the slope of the land which makes not having stairs impractical.

Developers will say that. What a shame, they have to chop the land up smaller and make more money.

 

[barreness]

Why make that presumption? There's other reasons for the tribunal to make that decision. It's not just those evil rich capitalist-loving parasite landlords who break the rules, you know.

Such as? Occams razor and all that jazz

 

[barreness]

As a renter, I'm happy that my overseas landlord has sat on his investment for the past 3 years whilst we've been able to live in the school zone we want, my wife and I are close enough to work etc

I'm not too keen on further changes that could upend us and set us further back in hopefully being able to build a house which we will be able to live into old age with one of our children (who has needs due to disability).

The houses around here are mostly ex-commission 2 & 3 BRs with pretty reasonable yards. The kind of "perfect for first homebuyer (to soon outgrow)" places. They seem to be being bought by flippers (which has already happened in the case of where we're staying prior to our landlord owning it) or developers who put up double story townhouses. None of which really helps families. It does seem to help the already rich.

Mannnnnnn I'm sorry, those circumstance are tough

Why are you posting propaganda against tenants? I presumed you were a landlord and wanted more power to evict

 

[yodellinhank]

Mannnnnnn I'm sorry, those circumstance are tough

Why are you posting propaganda against tenants? I presumed you were a landlord and wanted more power to evict

I was a landlord previously also. I was surprised to see when looking at it up that notice can be as little as 60 days. Thought the standard was 120 and could only be reduced to 60 in cases where the landlord needs to live in the property themselves. We were in that situation, I gave the tenant a heads up that the notice was coming because I didn't want it sprung upon them. They said they'd been mostly staying with a girlfriend, so hopefully moving in there worked out for them. I remember thinking it was a risk telling them early, and hoping like hell they'd stay the notice period (which they did) thinking I'd be out thousands if they just walked (as they're rightly able to).

60 days seems a very short time to be able to sort your shit and find something, maybe 90 would be more appropriate. But I've also seen it is VERY hard for landlords that have tenants who know how to game the system. It probably should be easier to move those on who aren't paying the agreed rent.

 

[Captivating]

Developers will say that. What a shame, they have to chop the land up smaller and make more money.

Well actually it's the Victorian Government who mandates that 25% of land less than 400sqm must be garden area.

So if you had a 600sqm block and sub divided, it;'d be impossible to out 2 single storey houses when you have 150sqm of garden. Take into account easements and set backs you'd end up with two houses that are 190sqm each.

 

[faible]

Well actually it's the Victorian Government who mandates that 25% of land less than 400sqm must be garden area.

So if you had a 600sqm block and sub divided, it;'d be impossible to out 2 single storey houses when you have 150sqm of garden. Take into account easements and set backs you'd end up with two houses that are 190sqm each.

They'd also be two story with no bedrooms or bathrooms on the ground level I'm sure.

 

[faible]

If the house is not suitable then why buy/rent the place to start with? I'm not sure why you wouldn't consider your personal circumstances when finding a house to live in. If stairs are an issue I would have thought that would automatically rule out two storey houses.

I think the point is that more and more houses are being built that aren't accessible, not even necessarily for wheelchairs accessible, but for older people, people with any kind of issues with stairs, that kind of stuff.

Anyone over ~ 70 looking to downsize would be unlikely to be able to move in to a house without bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor, as it simply won't be future-proof for when stairs get harder and harder.

None of this stuff is really considered when doing new builds, it's just slapped together as per the minimum building regs.

My favourite was when I moved in to a brand new rental that had the kitchen on the second level (ground was a garage) and the 'nook' for the fridge was substantially wider than the stairwell, so you couldn't actually buy a fridge to fit said space (unless you were willing to haul it up over the ~6ft balcony fence. Not much thinking went in to that design, there was also a single double power point for the entire kitchen, so bad luck if you have a microwave, toaster and a kettle. Let alone a coffee machine, a blender, or any kind of other appliance. Whoever designed that appeared to have never used a kitchen.

 

[yodellinhank]

I think the point is that more and more houses are being built that aren't accessible, not even necessarily for wheelchairs accessible, but for older people, people with any kind of issues with stairs, that kind of stuff.

Anyone over ~ 70 looking to downsize would be unlikely to be able to move in to a house without bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor, as it simply won't be future-proof for when stairs get harder and harder.

None of this stuff is really considered when doing new builds, it's just slapped together as per the minimum building regs.

My favourite was when I moved in to a brand new rental that had the kitchen on the second level (ground was a garage) and the 'nook' for the fridge was substantially wider than the stairwell, so you couldn't actually buy a fridge to fit said space (unless you were willing to haul it up over the ~6ft balcony fence. Not much thinking went in to that design, there was also a single double power point for the entire kitchen, so bad luck if you have a microwave, toaster and a kettle. Let alone a coffee machine, a blender, or any kind of other appliance. Whoever designed that appeared to have never used a kitchen.

It's okay, oldies can just move into those retirement complexes and get absolutely ripped by guess who uber rich developers, from what I've heard they just about sign their estates over.

 

[Gralin]

I think the point is that more and more houses are being built that aren't accessible, not even necessarily for wheelchairs accessible, but for older people, people with any kind of issues with stairs, that kind of stuff.

Anyone over ~ 70 looking to downsize would be unlikely to be able to move in to a house without bedrooms and bathrooms on the ground floor, as it simply won't be future-proof for when stairs get harder and harder.

None of this stuff is really considered when doing new builds, it's just slapped together as per the minimum building regs.

My favourite was when I moved in to a brand new rental that had the kitchen on the second level (ground was a garage) and the 'nook' for the fridge was substantially wider than the stairwell, so you couldn't actually buy a fridge to fit said space (unless you were willing to haul it up over the ~6ft balcony fence. Not much thinking went in to that design, there was also a single double power point for the entire kitchen, so bad luck if you have a microwave, toaster and a kettle. Let alone a coffee machine, a blender, or any kind of other appliance. Whoever designed that appeared to have never used a kitchen.

yeah my mate bought a place like that and the laundry was upstairs as well with a right turn up the stairs and no room to manouver stuff

was an absolute bitch getting everything in and they had to return the fridge and buy a smaller one leaving a big gap that they ended up filling with some temp shelving for additional storage from memory

apartments in the CBD and inner suburbs can be fun like that, when I was looking at places to rent years ago there were a few with the pulleys above the balcony so you could lift stuff up

but a lot of places it was does it fit in the lift or up those stairs? if not its not moving in, good luck with most couches

 

[evolved2]

Such as? Occams razor and all that jazz

This Link summarises the process and reasoning.

 

[Gralin]

This Link summarises the process and reasoning.

doesn't answer the question though

 

[evolved2]

doesn't answer the question though

Sure it does.

The landlord can do everything right and a tenant may still be allowed to stay.

Look under the section on reasonable and proportionate for VCAT considerations.

 

[Gralin]

Sure it does.

The landlord can do everything right and a tenant may still be allowed to stay.

Look under the section on reasonable and proportionate for VCAT considerations.

yes tenants have rights

that article was suggesting the tenants were in the wrong though

 

[faible]

yes tenants have rights

Who knew you couldn’t just make people homeless whenever you feel like without any kind of process.

People seem to forget what it means when discussing ‘tenants rights’.

 

[kickazz]

90% of landlords fudge their returns according to the ATO
Of course they say that's accidental not on purpose

Maybe the ATO/government should "accidentally" fine them then.

Or they could use a computer to come up with a tax debt they think the landlord owes and then have an automated system to notify and follow up on this assumed debt........

 

[kickazz]

There should be an app so shit tenants can hook up with shit landlords.

If ever an industry needed "disrupting" by a tech startup it's gotta be the streaming turd that is real estate.