First-time buyer left with a $10,000 clean-up bill

by

First-time buyer is left with a $10,000 clean-up bill after her new house was handed over with filth in EVERY room

  • A woman was left with a $10,000 cleanup bill after buying her first house 
  • Betul purchased the property south-west of Brisbane with her fiancé 
  • Upon receiving the keys, she found every room in the house filled with rubbish 

By Brett Lackey For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A woman who just bought her first house was left with a $10,000 clean up bill after the property was handed over with dirt and debris in every room. 

Betul, 33, was searching for a property she could pour her hard-earned savings into when her agent from McGrath Springfield suggested the off-market house south-west of Brisbane. 

‘There was just so much stuff everywhere that you could barely walk through the home,’ Betul told A Current Affair. 

The carpets in the house were filthy and has to be completely removed by professional cleaners (pictured) 

However, the agent assured her and her fiancé the vendor would see the property was emptied and cleaned before handing her the keys. 

With the house on a large block of land and knowing she wanted to renovate, Betul told the agent she was prepared make an offer. 

Returning later to inspect the property a day before the sale went through, the house was still a mess. 

‘We had a half an hour pre-settlement inspection, went through the place and said to her that this isn’t cleaned up, there is still rubbish everywhere on this property, inside, outside and she basically said ‘I assure you that it will be cleaned out’,’ Betul said. 

The next morning, she said she asked to check the property but this was refused. 

With her lawyer saying a delay to settlement could be costly, she proceeded. 

Upon getting the key – she was given just the one – she arrived at her new purchase to find the door unlocked, the lights on, and rubbish and animal droppings in every room. 

The house was filled the rubbish, dirt and debris (pictured) which ran a $10,000 cost to clean up

The house was filled the rubbish, dirt and debris (pictured) which ran a $10,000 cost to clean up 

Debris was also strewn over the lawn and there were even dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. 

She had to hire professional cleaners to clear out her new house at a cost of $10,000. 

Tim O’Dwyer, a property law expert, said Betul could speak to Fair Trading about the state of the house and would also have grounds take the previous owner to court. 

‘All she can do now is to exercise her rights to sue for the cost of fixing everything up,’ he said.  

McGrath Springfield statement: 

McGrath Springfield confirms that it has acted for the previous owner in the sale.

Tracey Caruana, Principal of McGrath Springfield said, ‘We have at all times acted with total transparency and sensitivity in our dealings with both the previous owner and the buyer and will continue to do so.

At the pre-settlement inspection of the property conducted with the buyer on 2nd June at 4pm, it was evident that the property had not been cleared as expected.

McGrath suggested to the buyer that she speak with her lawyer regarding the state of the property, however, the buyer decided to complete the purchase of the house despite being aware that the work at the property had not been completed.

To date, McGrath is not aware that the buyer has made any claim for compensation from the previous owner to recover any costs of removing items from the property.’