Nightmare for Brisbane landlords as tenants leave rentals trashed before inspection

Footage has circulated of nightmare tenants who have left Brisbane rental properties in tatters, with walls kicked in, rubbish strewn and evidence of drug activity throughout. WATCH THE VIDEO

Rental properties across South East Queensland have been turned into a landlord’s nightmare, with walls kicked in, mould on ceilings and rooms turned into drug dens by tenants from hell.

Video footage has emerged on social media of two properties at Redbank Plains and Lowood, west of Brisbane, which showed a trail of destruction left by the tenants on inspection day.

The videos, shared to social media platform TikTok, went viral with more than 120,000 views between them since being posted on Sunday.

The Courier-Mail has obtained the footage and been granted permission from the property manager who took them.

The property manager said the tenants had “trashed” the Lowood property and eventually had to be evicted by police.

“We tried to send them breach notices but they ignored them and took about 15 weeks for them to be out of the place,” the property manager, who asked not to be identified, said.

The property manager said the “shocked” landlord was based in Singapore.

“It’s only one aspect of the rental crisis, you have people offering six months’ pay in advance and people offering much more than the asking price, it’s crazy,” they said.

The footage showed the trashed rental properties were left with layers of filth including kick and punch holes in the walls, rubbish strewn across the floods, and cupboards and toilet seats ripped off.

Children were living in one of the trashed rental properties.

It was understood the videos were taking prior to an inspection, had children living in them while there was evidence of drug activity inside.

It comes as much of the state is gripped with a rental vacancy rates crisis, compounded by February floods, which has left families on the brink of being homeless.

Property data shows both Lowood and Redbank Plains have vacancy rates of less than one per cent.

Ray White Ipswich principal Warren Ramsey said the rental nightmares were not uncommon in suburbs like Lowood.

Mr Ramsey said vacancy rates were nearly at capacity.

“It happens in Brisbane too, you hear about it everywhere,” Mr Ramsey said.

“More so out that way you do get cheaper rentals.

“But I don’t think it’s as bad as it has been out there.”

Police had to be called to remove the tenants.

First National Action Realty Ipswich principal Glenn Ball said Lowood had vacant rates of about 0 per cent.

“There’s nothing available, since January it’s been at 0 per cent,” Mr Ball said.

“I do think it will continue to go like this or get worse. Since we have had those floods we don’t have any homes available.”

Mr Ball said some properties in Lowood were rented out through property managers who were from outside of the area.