Housing inspections As specified in tenancy agreements, tenants must maintain their property to provide a clean, healthy and safe living environment. As part of PTM reforms, housing officers undertake a minimum of four inspections each year to determine whether houses are being looked after and if any immediate or maintenance and repairs need to occur. Housing officers also work with communities, offering support to ensure tenants understand their terms of agreement and are able to maintain successful tenancies. Throughout the year, additional inspections may occur if a maintenance request is made. Any damage that is determined to be the responsibility must tenant’s be repaired within 28 days, at which point a follow up inspection will take place. The housing officer will also conduct inspections to assess the ‘drive-by’ upkeep of property grounds. Tenants may be required to pay for repair work caused through misuse, and deliberate or intentional damage. Inspections regarding lease extensions are carried out six weeks prior to the expiry of a fixed-term lease. When moving house, inspections will occur to ensure the property and house are restored to the conditions specified in the Property Condition Report. tenant’s Inspections include assessing the condition and cleanliness of: walls and doors; cupboards and wardrobes; ovens and stoves; floors; light fittings, power points, switches and controls; taps; bathrooms, toilets and laundry; ceiling and exhaust fans; windows; and external areas including verandah, paths, lawn and garden, garden sheds, fencing, gates, clothes line. One of the NPARIH performance indicators relates to the inspection of houses through a standard property inspection regime (ANAO 2012). The final section of this chapter explores tenants experiences of housing inspections. Survey questions: Does someone come to inspect/look at your house? What did they do to your house? For example did they organise for something to be fixed?
Housing inspections As specified in tenancy agreements, tenants must maintain their property to provide a clean, healthy and safe living environment. As part of PTM reforms, housing officers undertake a minimum of four inspections each year to determine whether houses are being looked after and if any immediate or maintenance and repairs need to occur. Housing officers also work with communities, offering support to ensure tenants understand their terms of agreement and are able to maintain successful tenancies. Throughout the year, additional inspections may occur if a maintenance request is made. Any damage that is determined to be the tenant’s responsibility must be repaired within 28 days, at which point a follow up inspection will take place. The housing officer will also conduct ‘drive-by’ inspections to assess the upkeep of property grounds. Tenants may be required to pay for repair work caused through misuse, and deliberate or intentional damage. Inspections regarding lease extensions are carried out six weeks prior to the expiry of a fixed-term lease. When moving house, inspections will occur to ensure the property and house are restored to the conditions specified in the tenant’s Property Condition Report. Inspections include assessing the condition and cleanliness of: walls and doors; cupboards and wardrobes; ovens and stoves; floors; light fittings, power points, switches and controls; taps; bathrooms, toilets and laundry; ceiling and exhaust fans; windows; and external areas including verandah, paths, lawn and garden, garden sheds, fencing, gates, clothes line. One of the NPARIH performance indicators relates to the inspection of houses through a standard property inspection regime (ANAO 2012). The final section of this chapter explores tenants experiences of housing inspections. Survey questions: Does someone come to inspect/look at your house? What did they do to your house? For example did they organise for something to be fixed?
property_and_tenancy_management_report.docx