Queensland Landlord Battles Squatter After Tenant's $3,000 Sale of Keys
A landlord faces a lengthy legal battle to reclaim her Queensland property after a woman allegedly moved in, paying $3,000 to a departing tenant for the keys, and authorities have been slow to intervene.
A Queensland landlord is embroiled in a frustrating dispute to regain possession of her property after an unauthorized occupant allegedly moved in by purchasing the keys from a former tenant for $3,000.
Zhairah Charles claims the woman has occupied her property since October 7, six days after the previous tenant was scheduled to vacate. Charles has been attempting to have the occupant removed since then, but expressed dismay at the perceived lack of assistance from authorities, fearing for the property's condition and security.
The property manager discovered the unauthorized occupant when he arrived to collect the keys on October 7. According to Charles, the woman stated she found the unit listed on Flatmates.com, though the website has no record of such a listing. Charles alleges that the departing tenant committed fraud and illegal subletting by selling the keys.
Initially, Charles and her property manager asked the woman to leave. When she did not, police were contacted. According to Charles, the woman initially agreed to leave on Saturday, with her NDIS support worker reportedly arranging temporary accommodation. However, the occupant failed to vacate. Upon returning Sunday, the property manager found the property had been significantly damaged and the occupant refused to leave.
Charles stated she has contacted the police multiple times and filed four reports. However, she claims police repeatedly informed her that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT). She also reports being passed between different authorities, with the Residential Tenancies Authority suggesting the dispute should be pursued against the previous tenant. QCAT, meanwhile, reportedly stated it could not provide guidance on the occupant's status without her full name. Charles also claims the woman's support worker refused to cooperate or provide the occupant's full name.
The situation has reportedly escalated, with Charles alleging the occupant sent her an abusive text message stating, "F*** you and your silly dumb police friends. I'm staying here forever!" Charles also claims the occupant verbally abused her 80-year-old building manager.
Charles expressed her concern that the occupant might continue to damage the property and hand over the keys to more unauthorized individuals. "Our home looks nothing like how we left it, and I'm so concerned she'll continue trashing it, inviting unwanted guests and passing the keys on to more unwanted people," she wrote.
According to the RTA, tenants in Queensland generally require written permission from their landlord to sublet a property. Property owners can apply to QCAT for an urgent order to remove someone occupying their property without permission.