We had an extremely distressing experience renting through Image Property Aspley in April 2024.
In March 2024, while relocating back to Brisbane from Sydney, we applied for a property managed by Image Property Aspley. As we were unable to attend a physical inspection, we relied on the agent, Alannah Denaro, to provide accurate photographs of the property. While photos were provided, they did not include the severely overgrown front yard, which posed genuine safety concerns, particularly given Queensland wildlife risks and the lack of visibility at night.
Upon collecting the keys on 4 April 2024 and entering the property, we found the condition to be far below a reasonable standard. The property had not been cleaned, the carpets were visibly stained and had not been professionally cleaned, the kitchen was unhygienic and unsafe to use, and several power points were not functioning. Based on our observations, we did not consider the property safe or habitable.
Within six days, on 10 April 2024, we formally submitted the following documentation:
RTA Form 13 – Notice of Intention to Leave
Notice of Dissatisfaction
Entry Condition Report with supporting details
Despite the condition of the property, we were initially advised that we would be liable for advertising fees, penalty rent, ongoing rent until new tenants were secured, and bond cleaning costs. We found this position unreasonable given the state of the property at the commencement of the tenancy.
We escalated the matter to the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA). Following the RTA dispute process, the matter was resolved with the following outcome:
All requested advertising fees, penalty charges, and ongoing rent claims were waived
We agreed to pay only two weeks’ rent beyond 30 April 2024, which was the mutually agreed lease end date
We were not required to undertake bond cleaning or garden maintenance, as these had not been completed prior to the property being leased to us
We also observed that the photographs used in the 2024 listing appeared identical to images used in a 2014 advertisement for the same property, which we raised with the RTA as part of the process.
The overall experience caused significant stress and disruption during an already difficult relocation. We delayed posting this review until now to avoid any potential impact on future rental applications.
Prospective tenants deserve accurate representations and basic habitability standards. Based on our experience, I would urge others to proceed with caution.