I have to sit and spend a decent amount of time today with my support worker going through all the documentation I need to submit for my Residential Tenancies Tribunal application against my old landlord.
My old apartment flooded from the hot water system leaking and the whole carpet was soaked (it wasn't a big apartment). I sent my property manager an email on Saturday the day after it happened saying I was really struggling with my sensory issues (from the water and the smell) plus the door couldn't be closed anymore as it jammed shut from inside but she didn't respond to me on Monday. On Monday my support worker got in touch with my support coordinator and they discussed my current living situation and how it was not acceptable and they both tried to text and call my property manager over a dozen times. My email was still not responded to, asking when they would dry the carpets out. I'd been without hot water for 4 days as well at this stage.
My SC organised to put me in a hotel to get me out of there using my NDIS government funding as 'emergency accommodation' which is technically allowed but really the landlords insurance should have paid for me to move the day it happened, I later found out.
Eventually I got an email back from the property manager saying that they weren't going to dry the carpets out, they were actually just going to wait until I moved into my new apartment in 3 weeks then rip them out. So she basically admitted in that email that they never had any intention on rehousing me despite the abysmal living conditions (wet floor still, door open and share, mould growing) which is a godsend for my case and a real fucker of a headache for her. This is also when she said they were going to waive the lease break costs which my dumb autistic ass thought was nice of them (only later realised they were obliged to do this as they can't charge me lease break costs while redoing the carpets) and 'kindly offered' to reduce my rent from $220 per week to $170 per week. I accepted this because getting out of the lease break seemed too good to be true. I was later informed that the landlord was not allowed to have charged me any rent for the period of time the apartment was uninhabitable. Another plus for me and a negative for their case.
Come the end of my lease I cleaned, but I didn't do an end of lease clean as because the place is so small I figured it was pointless what with them sending workmen in to tear up the carpets, plus it wasn't really made explicitly clear that I still needed to. I'd been cancelling my NDIS cleaner because I told him it was pointless to clean the old place given how trashed it was so it wasn't like I didn't have the chance to ask him to come around.
For some reason there was an issue with the cleaning that came up and when I went to drop the keys in (a day late, and they charged me an extra days worth of rent too) I tried to speak with my property manager but was told she wasn't available (of course) so I spoke to someone else and explained my logic around why cleaning was pointless. I brought up that I'd used my NDIS funding for the hotel which now would mean I wouldn't be able to pay for 3 months of support workers had my plan not been reviewed (luckily) and that it should really be reimbursed as that isn't the purpose of that money and it's taxpayers funds. I also brought up how I did actually pay a substantial amount of rent for an apartment I couldn't live in and while I now wouldn't have accepted that it's too late now. She seemed agreeable that it was fair I don't have to clean.
The next day I get an email from the property manager explaining how the final inspection has come in and they've noticed a bunch of damage. She also says that I was expected to have done an end of lease clean so they'll be taking money out of my bond to do that, and that it would have been 'appreciated' if I'd vaccuumed the carpets (that they're about to rip up lol good joke, that was the final straw for me).
I immediately responded saying I'd been cancelling my NDIS cleaner for a month as it wasn't made clear if I was to do a clean or not and I assumed not considering the work having to be done. I then said I wanted my rental records because I was going to lodge and application with the Residential Tenancies Tribunal to have the hotel stay, my rent, and my bond refunded in full.
I got an email back in literally less than 10 minutes saying 'the landlord has decided that she no longer requires you to do an end of lease clean and your bond will be returned in full. Please reconsider the Residential Tenancies Tribunal as it is a very long and drawn out process for everyone involved.'
Finally. Damage control mode activated. I have never in my life seen a 180 from property manager leech to begging me not to take them to court so quickly cause they know they're going to get ripped a new one for every single fuck up along the way here.
I responded saying 'Thank you for your prompt response. As a law graduate I'm very intimate with how long and drawn out the Residential Tenancies Tribunal process is. I'm also very aware of the fact that landlords insurance should have been used to rehouse me the day the flooding occured and I should not have been charged any rent for the time period the apartment was uninhabitable. Therefore I have no choice but to apply to the RTT to have this money refunded as the NDIS money was spent improperly (while still legally) and I am entitled to my entire rent paid during that period back to me. Please inform me of the bond details so that I can have that returned as soon as possible.'
So now I just need to trawl through emails with my support worker and find any ones we think are relevant and submit them with the application because they need it all done by Friday to list the matter for hearing. I'm taking my support coordinator and a support worker with me to the hearing to make sure they don't try to intimidate me again.
Honestly it's shit like this happening which makes me realise I am really smart like I have a law degree I got while fucked off my face for a majority of it, but holy shit am I easily manipulated and definitely still an actual definition of vulnerable person.