Ed,

Renting residential property in Grafton has been horrendous over recent times, with the need to have two incomes, no pets, and often applicants are beaten to suitable properties because someone else can pay higher rent. This has become apparent due to greedy landlords and unscrupulous real estate agents.

I am a business owner who has taken out a lease in Grafton on a residential property that is in need of some major renovations, but was the only property available for the two young disabled persons I support, at the time.

Since the commencement of the lease some 8 months ago, there have been ongoing problems with the faulty plumbing to bathrooms requiring almost weekly intervention by local plumbers.

Recent activity by these tradespeople includes cleaning of drains to prevent the flooding of bathrooms through toilets and shower bases, as well as burst pipes and flooding of bathrooms.

Today I received an invoice from the real estate agent for an amount of $270 for cleaning of drains.

When I questioned the reason we as tenants were sent the invoice from local plumber, I was told that the blocked drain was caused by the shavings of the young male tenant blocking his bathroom drain. I queried this as it seemed a little ridiculous, and was told that this young, severely disabled, male should shave outdoors in the future, and that we have to pay the invoice within 14 days.

I don’t know about you and most others, but one shave a day of a young disabled man should not block the drain to his bathroom basin. I’d be interested in other people’s advice as I intend to fight this claim and not pay the invoice involved. It is not the amount of invoice involved, but more the principle of telling young disabled, non-verbal man to shave outside.

Glenda Hawdon, Grafton