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A landlord who breached the Residential Tenancies Act has been fined $10,000.
The Rockingham Magistrates Court found Christina Cramphorn failed to submit two security bonds with the Bond Administrator and also failed to provide the tenant with prescribed information and property condition reports.
The Western Australian woman entered two separate agreements with tenants, the first in May 2018 and the other in February 2019. She received a total of $3,500 in security bond for her Warnbro property.
Ms Cramphorn had been notified of what was expected via an education letter by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.
However, it was a concern a landlord who should have known better was a repeat offender, Consumer Protection commissioner Lanie Chopping said.
“Failing to protect her tenant’s rights in the first instance is bad enough, but then to do it a second time makes the situation much more serious,” Ms Chopping said.
“Private landlords and real estate agents are duty bound to lodge bond money with the Bond Administrator as soon as practicable or within 14 days, and failure to file them at all is inexcusable.
“Property condition reports must be provided within seven days of a tenant entering the property, as well as on their departure, to avoid arguments about how the condition of the property has changed during the tenancy.
“This conviction and penalty highlights how seriously all lessors must take their legal responsibilities when renting out properties.”
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