The joys of renting.

Regarding your letter dated 21st January 2020.

I would remind you that I have already committed to removing the couch that has never belonged to me, as it is blocking my parking space.

I will also remove the two broken electric fans and CD rack that belonged to me.

Everything else underneath the property has been discarded by former tenants and it is unreasonable to suggest that the current occupants be financially liable for the acts of others.

As an example, the two broken washing machines.

One has been there since before I signed a lease for this property (19/08/11).

The other was left by the previous tenant of U/2 (about the time the couch appeared in my parking space).

Were I to attempt to move them, I would injure myself.

With diagnosed Arthritis, Bursitis and waiting on verification of Chondromalacia Patellae, I am physically incapable of such a task.

I can manage the couch because it is light enough to drag with one hand.

There have been some rare exceptions, but over the eight years of my residency, most every former tenant of this building has left something in the car park/laundry area.

Some were placed there when tenants moved in and never removed.

Others were dumped when they vacated the property.

To suggest that current tenants clean up after former tenants or be financially punished if they don't is not only unreasonable but borders on ludicrous.

Especially when one considers the Owners building materials (door and window frames, guttering etc.) are stored underneath the house, on pallets that belong to me in some cases (should I remove them?).

At the most recent property inspection (05/09/19) I advised B---- C----- from your office that I would remove the couch (which is not mine) and anything that belonged to me at the next kerbside pickup.

I appreciate the reminder of the upcoming dates but am affronted that you would threaten me to pay for the rubbish of others if I don't remove it.

Given you should still have the contact details of former tenants (and it is their waste), it would be more appropriate to ask former tenants to come and collect their belongings or send the bill to them rather than threaten those who have no claim or connection to the items in question.

Having received legal advice regarding this matter I will recommit to remove the items I have already mentioned but I will not pay for the removal of items that others have been too lazy to do themselves.

Given the comparatively short time that the occupants of Units 1 & 2 have resided at this address I would also suggest that implying they are somehow responsible and therefore liable for the removal of rubbish left by previous occupants of their units is nothing short of a potentially illegal threat.

I hope that this matter can be resolved amicably and in a timely manner.

Regards,