Retaliatory eviction from landlord and the gift that keeps on giving
Bit of a vent.
Former landlord (let’s call him Kostas) is now taking a former tenant to Magistrates Court over about $500 (water bill + a bit of rent).
Tenant was there 20+ years. Constant plumbing issues (blocked toilet, leaking taps/shower, gates falling apart, just generally falling apart). Whenever something broke, Kostas would come “fix” it himself, sometimes using the tenant’s tools, then on the way out would mention raising the rent. “This rent’s too f***ing cheap” once the toilet was blocked for over a week. Tenant had to go to local shopping centre for toilet. After an appendectomy no less. Kostas didn’t care.
This happened over and over until the tenant eventually said: happy to discuss a rent increase, but the plumbing needs a proper fix, and by a professional.
That was the catalyst. Kostas lost it and soon after issued a notice to vacate. Stat dec said his son was moving in.
At SACAT, the story kept changing: son needed to move in; actually son was taking over the mortgage; also son was nearly homeless because Kostas got kicked out by his wife… big sob story full of lies. None of it really lined up, but the stat dec stood.
There were also issues with Kostas entering unannounced and being aggressive (tenant got a small rent credit for that), but overall SACAT still ruled in his favour on the rent/water.
That was mid-year last year, and the tenant didn’t pay on principle, now it’s escalated to magistrates court.
I know it’s “only” $500 but it feels like a textbook retaliatory eviction that just… gets waved through. Whole system seems to be confusing and unfair. Kostas wins.