A landlord has been ordered to repay almost $9000 to tenants who were evicted from their Braybrook home when they threatened to take legal action to secure urgent repairs to the property.
Tenants Dhuminda De Silva and Chamani Siriwardhana lived in the Ruby Way property owned by Siripala Prasangika from February, 2011, until October, 2016.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal heard that the home was beset by a number of problems requiring urgent repair throughout that time, including a leaking roof, faulty central heating and a garage door that would not lock.
The tenants raised concerns about a broken rangehood and sought repairs to a faulty alarm system.
They argued mould caused by “a significant leak” in the roof rendered one of the bedrooms uninhabitable and created a health risk.
The tenants confirmed in June, 2016, they intended to take the matter to VCAT, after which they received a “notice to vacate” issued on the same day.
They sought a total $18,409 in compensation for the lack of adequate action on the various issues they had raised during their tenancy.
The tribunal ordered, in August of 2016, that urgent repairs be carried out, but Ms Prasangika failed to comply with the order.
VCAT member Barry Josephs found the landlord had breached the Residential Tenancies Act. He ordered Ms Prasangika to pay $8885 to the tenants.
Benjamin Millar
