A LAUNCESTON landlord whose evicted tenant turned his property into a car graveyard can remove the abandoned car wrecks, according to the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania.
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The Examiner reported on Friday that landlord Louis Cehtel faced a $10,000 bill to remove 32 car bodies dumped at his Kings Meadows rental property by an evicted tenant who is now in jail.
Mr Cehtel, who is insured, had received legal advice he was unable to touch the car wrecks because they belonged to the evicted tenant.
He manages the property himself and conducted routine inspections, but his first legal bid to evict the tenant failed because the tenant paid the outstanding rent. The tenant was finally evicted in November.
REIT property management consultant Robbie Yeoland said on Friday that section 48 of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 gave landlords a legal avenue to dispose of or sell abandoned goods.
The Examiner contacted several Launceston scrap metal dealers and while none wished to be identified, all agreed the car wrecks were worthless and would be very costly to remove.
Mr Cehtel expects to meet with his lawyer next week.
Tasmania's consumer affairs and trading legislation stipulates that if the goods appear to belong to someone other than the tenant, for example bought on hire purchase, borrowed or stolen, the property owner should attempt to contact the owner or seek advice from Tasmania Police.
