Demand for increased protection for landlords following tenants causing $50k in damages

Owner Massimo Fazzalari claims his new Pooraka unit was trashed just six months after he rented it out to a family of four.

“First time ever doing something like that, I was pretty keen to dip my fingers into the market,” Fazzalari said.

The family failed a rental inspection in January allegedly after not maintaining the property in a reasonable condition.

Fazzalari claims 10 weeks later they stopped paying rent.

“You would not wanna live in here, not in this current state. You cannot live in this place,” he said.

“I could be giving it to someone who’s deserving of a house, who needs a house, who’s got young kids, who are on the actual streets,” he said.

Fazzalari took the family to the South Australia Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) in February, claiming he was owed $10,000 in rent as well as $50,000 in damages.

In April it was decided the tenants’ lease would cease on Monday, giving them 11 weeks to find a new home.

Critics believe laws passed last year to better protect renters have gone too far.

“The rights of property owners and landlords like Massimo are being taken away,” independent MP Frank Pangallo said.

In a statement to 9News, SACAT said all parties reached an agreement in April for the tenants to stay until June.

But Fazzalari says he feels like his hands were tied and was given no other option but to let the tenants stay on.

“[I] want nothing to do with houses ever again,” he said.