I wouldn’t be doing SMS before 8am. They are more immediate than an email. With an email the person has to log onto their computer to check it. With an SMS the phone generally rings that their is a message which can seem as though you are purposefully disturbing them if you start to early.

I agree with Margaret. Unless they are expecting you to contact them at that time I wouldn’t. I think it’s ok to message after hours (up to a certain time) if it is regarding something you have been dealing with them about earlier in the day e.g. a repair.

I don’t bother with SMS as it is not an enforcable document, but it needs to be said that if the rent was actually paid, then Hans wouldn’t have to disturb them at any time. So who owns the problem..?

Having said that, I am beginning to get great results talking to tenants and advising them to get as far away from me as possible, with keys returned by end date of their arrears notice to avoid Court and Police eviction procedures, followed by TICA listing. It’s called a NOTICE TO LEAVE, and that’s what I require.

With QCAT the way it is, it’s back to the good old days of severe tones and threats of dire consequences. Sad as it is, I refuse to have my Landlord’s rights stomped on.

It may not be an enforcable document but it still shows your attempts to do the right thing for the owner. Some of my tenants find it annoying. I tell them if they don’t like them then make sure the rent is up to date and I will have not need to bother them.

I don’t like to be contacted by my tenants at 6.30am, so I would probably wait until business hours.

More importantly though, what are you doing checking the trust account at 6.30am!! You must be beyond busy..

I thing a text prior to 8am and past 6pm is unreasonable.

Lessor must take reasonable steps to ensure tenants have quiet enjoyment of their rented home.  This means the lessor / agent must not interfere with the tenant’s reasonable peace, comfor and privacy is using the premises.

Thanks to every one for your comments. I send the message at 0700h. If the tenant were not behind in rent, her “quiet enjoyment” would not have been disturbed. As usual, good in complaining but not in complying. No apology for being late neither. Well I will remember her when the tenancy expires. Nothing untoward but one can be less obliging etc.

Generally, tenants are advised by me to call me in an emergency anytime. But what happened last year:- call at 2130h on a Sunday, my pool pump is not working! Call at 1630h Saturday lost power in half the house. RCD kept tripping. Found tenant bought a new steam iron that was faulty. Call at 1900h on a Sunday, no hot water, “I want it fixed now!”. Some tenants really think they have rented Hotel Accommodation.

Sorry tenants, unless there is a serious problem, I don’t want to know during my leasure time. Needless to say all got rectified at reasonable times.

So…you don’t want to know during your leisure time…but it’s OK for you to interrupt theirs..? Hmmm, point made perhaps..?