VIC Property Investment - Liable to Pay for Servicing Heating System?

[JaneH]

I sold an property investment in Victoria in February 2016. In November 2016, I was invoiced for the servicing of a ducted gas heating system which was undertaken in April 2016, i.e. when I no longer owned the property.

Going back a couple of years into the ownership of the property, I authorised, through the property manager, biennial inspections of the heating system and the smoke detector. In the past, the property manager has paid these sorts of invoices and then taken the costs out of my rental returns.

The heating people have requested that I pay the invoice as neither I nor the property manager cancelled the regular servicing. I believe that the company couldn't get payment from the property manager (who also doesn't happen to be the property managers for the new owner of the property) so have invoiced me threatening to put the debt to a debt collector if I don't pay up.

What liability do I have to pay for the servicing of this heating system?

 

[Tim W]

How much money are we talking about?

 

[JaneH]

Just short of $200.

 

[Tim W]

Was the service contract with the Owners Corporation, or with you personally?

 

[JaneH]

It's a freestanding house, not a unit.

 

[JaneH]

I asked the property manager to send me a copy of my authorisation and they sent me the copy of the page that names me as landlord, the address of the property and I had ticked the box agreeing to "the deduction of the costs (every two years ongoing). It looks like I should get a copy of the full document.

 

[Tim W]

...It looks like I should get a copy of the full document.

Always do this.
For all you know, the property manager could be getting a sling (secret commisson) from the service company.