I had private rent for 18 months, had great relationship with property owner, rent always paid, property always cleaned and not damage of any kind. One day she texts and says she received a letter from the council saying there was high water use at our property, could we please let her know if there were any wet spots etc. we were away at the time, but when we returned we did look for her and none could be found. They had also entered the property and looked and sent a plumber who could not find the leak for two days.
Then she mentioned that she had received a $2,353.00 water bill from the council. On the tenancy agreement the question 12.2 does the tenant have to pay water the answer was ticked NO.
We decided to move gave the two weeks notice via text and she sent back a thumbs up and appeared to be good with the date.
Then on the day i was dropping off the keys she said she was happy with the house, the yard etc, but was keeping half my bond for the water bill. I could not argue with her at this time, so she took my bank details and I left. I then rang the RTA and asked the question regarding the water etc. and discovered that she had not lodged the rental bond for our tenancy agreement. I then texted her and upon the advice from the RTA asked her to lodge the bond. She then refused to give me half the bond, instead threatened me with a solicitor etc. I have googled the consequences of not lodging bonds and it a serious issue with very high penalties.
Alas still no bond received and she refuses to talk to me, I have since lodged a form 16 dispute form, also the investigation forms.
I would like to know if there any other steps i should be doing to move this along or shall i trust in the RTA to work it out.
What she is doing is illegal, one its not her money that she is holding, I have all my receipts for rent and bond, texts confirming she is now going to find things wrong after i handed back the keys and her saying it was very clean and she was happy, and new tenants moving in the same day i moved out.
Feeling very ripped off and deflated and definitely upset with myself for not finding out if the bond had been lodged, i m now more on the ball with the new house and its through an agent which is extremely efficient.
Then she mentioned that she had received a $2,353.00 water bill from the council. On the tenancy agreement the question 12.2 does the tenant have to pay water the answer was ticked NO.
We decided to move gave the two weeks notice via text and she sent back a thumbs up and appeared to be good with the date.
Then on the day i was dropping off the keys she said she was happy with the house, the yard etc, but was keeping half my bond for the water bill. I could not argue with her at this time, so she took my bank details and I left. I then rang the RTA and asked the question regarding the water etc. and discovered that she had not lodged the rental bond for our tenancy agreement. I then texted her and upon the advice from the RTA asked her to lodge the bond. She then refused to give me half the bond, instead threatened me with a solicitor etc. I have googled the consequences of not lodging bonds and it a serious issue with very high penalties.
Alas still no bond received and she refuses to talk to me, I have since lodged a form 16 dispute form, also the investigation forms.
I would like to know if there any other steps i should be doing to move this along or shall i trust in the RTA to work it out.
What she is doing is illegal, one its not her money that she is holding, I have all my receipts for rent and bond, texts confirming she is now going to find things wrong after i handed back the keys and her saying it was very clean and she was happy, and new tenants moving in the same day i moved out.
Feeling very ripped off and deflated and definitely upset with myself for not finding out if the bond had been lodged, i m now more on the ball with the new house and its through an agent which is extremely efficient.