APOA Australian Landlord Community Newsletter | 2026 Week 35

📊 This Week in Numbers

☕ Opening Note

Melbourne still carried a deep-winter chill in the final week of August. Heavy condensation appeared on windows in the morning, and landlords asked the groups how to manage it or urgently looked for technicians when heating systems failed.

The end of winter and beginning of spring brought both everyday maintenance problems and wider policy uncertainty. Members discussed overgrown lawns, leaking roofs, Victorian vacant residential land tax notifications, possible negative-gearing reform and the direction of rents.

Underneath the cold weather and frustration, the APOA community continued to show its warmth. Garden-service members helped others restore neglected lawns; plumbers, lawyers and experienced landlords shared practical ideas late at night; and volunteers prepared for the coming Mid-Autumn gathering, including an AI-assisted community song.

This was another week of real-life problems, honest debate and practical mutual support.

⭐ Feature: A VCAT Dispute Involving Arrears, Communication and Possession

On Friday night, Yurong posted a long string of sighing emojis.

She had expected her rent-arrears possession application at VCAT to proceed in an orderly way. A few days before the hearing, however, the renter transferred most of the outstanding amount, blocked her contact details and demanded that she withdraw the application immediately.

The background was complicated. A couple had originally signed the lease together. The female renter had since left with the children and reportedly obtained public housing after a family-violence intervention order was issued involving the male renter. The male renter remained at the property, had not followed the Beyond Housing repayment plan and had stopped communicating with the landlord.

Yurong wondered whether VCAT would dismiss the application once most of the rent had been paid.

Experienced landlords and professionals in the community shared several ideas:

Do not withdraw the application hastily. Lucy suggested that a voluntary withdrawal could create procedural complications later. Even if part of the arrears had been paid, the landlord could consider attending the hearing and accurately presenting the history of repeated arrears and failed communication.
Preserve evidence concerning safety, communication and compliance. Miracle suggested organising the intervention-order information, repayment history, communication records and evidence of difficulty carrying out inspections or managing the property.
Confirm the available order with a professional. Members suggested asking a lawyer or VCAT whether an order with future compliance conditions might be available and what process would apply if another breach occurred.

These were community ideas about one case, not legal advice. VCAT’s response depends on the application, evidence and the Member’s findings. Anyone facing a similar matter should retain complete records and seek guidance relevant to their own case from a lawyer, Consumer Affairs Victoria, VCAT or another appropriate service.

🛠 Landlord Toolbox

1. Restoring an Overgrown Lawn: Mow or Replace?

Kun wondered whether his weed-filled and partly dead backyard lawn needed to be removed and replaced. Community members working in garden services and pest control, including 玉兰 and ChiChi, said replacement might not be necessary if the lawn was not completely dead. Regular mowing every two or three weeks, suitable cutting height and reseeding where needed may allow it to recover gradually.

2. A Leaking Solar Hot-Water Connection and Bypass Options

Andy’s ten-year-old solar hot-water system developed rust and a small leak at a connection. Licensed plumber Will suggested first having the severity assessed. If repairs were needed, the owner could ask a plumber whether bypassing the solar panels and connecting directly to the main heating system was suitable, then compare the available repair options and costs.

3. A Broken Garage-Door Spring and Routine Maintenance

Jack faced a costly quote after a garage-door spring broke. it man, Wen Yu and others shared repair experience and tool videos. Tradespeople stressed that garage-door springs hold very high tension and should not be dismantled by an untrained person. Routine maintenance of tracks and bearings according to the equipment instructions may help extend service life.

4. Plasterboard Cracks and Drainage Checks

大灰狼 posted photographs of ceiling-plasterboard cracks left after earlier foundation movement. Members shared repair videos using mesh tape, joint compound and repainting, while also advising the owner to rule out continued movement or moisture. Vanessa’s overflowing ORG prompted plumbers to explain the need to distinguish stormwater from sewer drainage and have a professional assess whether high-pressure jet cleaning was appropriate.

🏠 Landlord Stories

1. A Five-Person Household Application

Lucy received an application from a 63-year-old woman, her 33-year-old daughter and three school-aged grandchildren. The household relied on government pension and support payments, while a previous property manager confirmed that rent had always been paid.

Members discussed occupancy, space, affordability, long-term stability, wear and future repairs from their own management experience. These were community views only. Landlords should apply consistent tenancy-related criteria and comply with anti-discrimination, privacy and rental laws, avoiding decisions based only on age, family status, disability or source of income.

2. The $850 Whole-House Paint Job

Kun’s video described an unusual case in which labour for painting a four-bedroom house cost only $850, with materials around $300. The video generated strong discussion because members commonly encountered whole-house quotations between $4,000 and $10,000 in Melbourne and Sydney. Landlords shared experiences of DIY painting, retired tradespeople and comparing several quotes, and called for clearer scopes and more transparent pricing.

3. A Reminder About Victorian VRLT Notifications

After reading a community newsletter, 卿卿 asked whether Victorian vacant residential land tax required owners to notify the State Revenue Office. Lawyer Jason shared his understanding that owners whose property may meet the relevant vacancy conditions should check the SRO’s current rules, confirm whether notification is required and determine whether an exemption applies.

VRLT scope, vacancy calculations and exemptions depend on the property and the rules for the relevant year. This is a general reminder, not tax or legal advice; owners should consult current SRO information or obtain professional advice for their circumstances.

📉 Market Watch

Discussion of possible changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax grew again this week. Some developers and industry commentators were concerned that limiting negative gearing could affect rental supply and rents.

Community members noted that rent is still constrained by renters’ actual capacity to pay and wage growth. Based on members’ observations, conditions varied between cities, regions and price points. Some higher-end rental markets in eastern suburbs with additional new supply experienced slightly lower rents or longer listing periods, while more affordable western and northern areas continued to see relatively strong demand.

These are community observations, not complete market data or investment advice.

🎥 Kun’s Video

Kun published an on-site video asking: “It cost $850 to paint a four-bedroom Australian house—do you think that is expensive?” The topic reflected a common pain point for landlords managing property maintenance and renovation costs.

📺 WeChat Channels: 澳洲房东联盟の昆哥

▶ YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@-wi7yg/videos

Please like, subscribe and share, and follow the APOA community’s development.

⚖️ Topics in Discussion

Council rates increasing: Will, K.R and other landlords noticed substantial increases in some council-rate bills, with some members estimating increases of around 10%. The actual change should be checked against each property’s valuation, council rate and bill.
Water-system reform rumours: Members discussed unconfirmed claims about possible water-sector reform and joked about pooling money to buy a water utility. This week’s source material did not include an official document supporting the claim, so it is recorded only as community discussion.

❤️ A Favourite Moment This Week

On Tuesday evening, while the group was busy discussing lease terminations, plumbing repairs and VCAT notices, an animated face suddenly appeared on screen and began to sing.

Jason shared *Australian Landlords, We Won't Forget One Another*, a theme song created for APOA's Mid-Autumn gathering in Doncaster on 27 September. Soon afterwards, an AI lip-synced “Animated Kun” appeared as the song's lead singer:

🎬 Animated Kun Sings! A Mid-Autumn Theme Song PreviewAI avatar preview

🌕 A singalong for the 27 September Mid-Autumn gathering in Doncaster
Free registration—limited places remain →

Australian landlords gather as one
We share our hardships and our joys
When setbacks come, you need not bear them alone
Neighbours and friends are here to help
Under the moonlight, we gather as one
The bonds of Australian landlords grow strong
Though life may bring its ups and downs
United together, we find our strength

Watching Animated Kun sing into his microphone, 老盛, Cindy, May and other members sent their praise. People began asking for the complete music and lyrics so they could practise for a community singalong at the gathering.

There was no grand speech and no legal clause—just a cheerful song created by a community member and brought to life with digital-human technology, connecting landlords building their lives far from where they began.

🙋 Volunteers Wanted

As the APOA community grows, we continue recruiting:

Newsletter chief editors and editors
Community Wall content volunteers
AI tools and automation volunteers

Anyone interested in helping build a warmer Chinese landlord community is welcome to contact Kun or a group administrator.

📚 More Community Discussions

Visit the APOA Community Wall for the knowledge library and previous discussions:

🇨🇳 Chinese Community Wall:

https://apoa.org.au/zh/community-wall/

🇦🇺 English Community Wall:

https://apoa.org.au/community-wall/

📢 About This Newsletter

This newsletter was compiled from public discussions in APOA’s landlord community during the week, with AI-assisted editing. It records community experience and members’ views and does not represent APOA’s official position.

It is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice.