James Buttifant admitted he didn’t check the water quality at the Maraylya rental in Sydney’s north west before he moved in last August.
“I mean, who turns the tap on when you’re inspecting a place? I certainly didn’t think to do that,” he told Yahoo News Australia.
Yet it’s now a decision which has haunted the 65-year-old for months, with the tenant living in the “very small” space which he claims is supplied with “filthy” water pumped in from a nearby creek.
“There’s three sewage pipes, possibly four, that empty into a paddock right next to my place,” he said. “It eventually makes its way to the creek that gets pumped into our taps … I have to shower in that water.”
Mr Buttifant is one of several residents that live in detached dwellings on the acreage, however, he believes he is the only one impacted by the water issue.
Renter granted $25 rent reduction after tribunal
Mr Buttifant claims the property’s owner only gave him a heads up about the undrinkable water after he moved into the rental.
“The landlord came up to me and said, ‘By the way don’t drink the water … You can’t drink the water’.”
The tenant and landlord went to Tribunal in February to settle the water dispute, with both Mr Buttifant and the landlord’s real estate agent confirming a rent reduction was actioned to compensate for the tenant’s cost of buying drinking water decanters.
“The Tribunal said to cover the costs of drinking water,” the real estate agent from First National Connection in Richmond told Yahoo when discussing the reason for the rent reduction. “The tenant didn’t feel comfortable drinking the water that he was supplied with.”
Despite the $25 rent reduction, with Mr Buttifant now paying $230 per week, the real estate agent stands firm that there is no issue with the dwelling’s water quality.
“As far as I’ve been told there’s no issues,” the agent said. “I was at an inspection with James this week. He got me to take a sample of the water and it did come back clear.”
The realtor later confirmed to Yahoo no test was conducted on the water but was instead referring to the water appearing “visibly clear” at the time of his visit.
‘Terrible’ rental having real-life impact on tenant
Mr Buttifant said he is desperately trying to move out of the rental but the move has proved difficult since he is no longer in the workforce, although his current situation is making him reconsider coming out of retirement.
“I really want to get out of this place, I’m online trying to look for rentals and at flatmates.com but I don’t have a job, that’s the first thing they ask you,” he lamented. “I just can’t find the work either because employers are probably looking for people with 30 to 40 years of working life left in them — I’ve probably only got two.”
“I’m not feeling real good about myself at all actually. This is a terrible place to live … It would bring a tear to a glass eye.”
Mr Buttifant was also allegedly issued a Notice To Terminate Tenancy on the same day Yahoo asked First National Connection real estate agency for comments.
Despite being somewhat relieved, the tenant said he is now worried he will become homeless.
“I have nowhere else to go,” he said.
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Read More:Renter forced to shower in ‘filthy’ creek water: ‘Nowhere to go’
2023-07-29 02:27:00
