Home rented to two tenants at the same time

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Fri, 04 Dec 2009 8:03p.m.

Maz Smutley

Maz Smutley

Where do you go when you're looking to buy... well, anything really?

Often it's the internet.

And usually things go swimmingly - not so for Maz Smutley.

She applied for a rental property only to find out - after the money had gone through - that someone else had already moved in.

So where is the money and how on Earth did two people rent the same property through a TradeMe ad?

Campbell Live investigates.

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Comments

13 Nov 2010 02:35p.m.

bjd wrote:

Landlords need to check potential tenants with the tenancy tribunal web site where all orders are publicy listed.
www.tenancytribunal.govt.nz
Tenants can also look up lanlords. You only need a name to search and all orders are there for everyone to see.

11 Dec 2009 08:56a.m.

Jaye wrote:

Well personally I dont think Trademe should be held responsible, as I mean with any rentals no money should be handed over till a contract is signed etc... Once you go outside the trade its not Trademes responsibility, And it doesn't sound like the proper process was followed at all, if it was there would be a paper trail and over seas landlords usually go through a family member living here or a reputable real estate company. As for the IP address it could of been set up from an NZ computer or such and the money sent to the UK as they didn't state anything in the news article about the IP, and even Trade and Exchange warn people against using Western Union as payment as its usually a scam.

06 Dec 2009 04:28a.m.

Chris wrote:

IP address alerts and address verification is not going to stop people getting scammed.

05 Dec 2009 05:16p.m.

cathy wrote:

TradeMe need to increase their security to make it more difficult for the scammers. Address verified would be a start.

05 Dec 2009 12:56p.m.

Mo wrote:

Sounds like they got swindled by the same or similar overseas group that have been sending out emails to bidders of auctions that have email addresses that relate to their TM username. It's a pity they didn't realise it was a scam when they were asked to make payment overseas via Western Union. TradeMe should be responsible for this loss as they should of recognised an overseas IP address running an auction which is against the TM rules (except Australia).

05 Dec 2009 11:40a.m.

Russ wrote:

I was not involved in the original thread but did read it. A poster sought advice from the Real Estate gurus as many do and generally they receive quality advice from person with decades of first hand experience and qualifications.

She commenced slugging off or accusing her LL as having stolen and sold off cars or other items. The gurus rightfully asked qualifying questions to obtain a better picture, catching lil miss innocent out on a few missed points…like an abandoned property! Rent arrears, damage to house.
Then a bombshell. Posted by a contact of the claimed “innocent tenant”, multiple Tenancy tribunal orders against her concerning other Landlords. She is a repetitive serial offender, of the type it is proposed to name “criminal”.
At that the “innocent” pillar of society called in gangland thuggery style contacts to attack those wise enough to have delved deeper. The result being TM banned those professional who have unselfishly contributed so much to many an inquirer in distress. The information is openly available on the Govt provided web site of TT. What is Fairfax TM thinking in shutting down perfectly legitimate conversation?

05 Dec 2009 11:32a.m.

Dragonlady wrote:

But Shay this said person also came onto the TM MB and was dissing their Landlords and making out that they were the one's in the wrong and made the Landlord look bad and made a lot of people feel sorry for the Tenant. When in actual fact the tenant was the one at fault for not paying their rent and leaving the houses in a disgusting mess. Why shouldn't people talk about it? Why shouldn't people warn as many people as possible to stop this tenant from doing it to another Landlord. Four Landlords have suffered because of this tenant and if by talking about it on TM MB stops one more Landlord from being ripped off. Then I think its a good thing.

05 Dec 2009 10:25a.m.

shay wrote:

but why do people think it is their duy or right to plaster info all over the TM MB? TM is not a tenancy website so therefore slagging off that particular member about tenancy issue doesnt seem to be the right forum for it, i see it more as a way for a bunch of regular posters to whinge and rubbish another person they simply just dont like.

05 Dec 2009 06:31a.m.

Keys wrote:

Trade Me? Also want to hide the identity of a tenant who has four Tenancy Tribunal orders out against them. Trade Me is consistantly removing messageboard access from those who wish to bring this problem to the attention of others, possibly other landlords. Yet Trade Me (Fairfax) are going to court to lift name suppression in an unproven case. Where is the consistancy? While others stand around gazing at their navel, those who wish to make public transgressions of someone who has been proven to be a bad tenant are getting punished. One wonders if it is PC gone mad (again). Bad landlords, yet again, get bad press.