Melbourne couple demand Luxico pay up after tenant Simon Simoudis, Tess Rowlatt ‘nightmare’
A Melbourne drug queen rang alarm bells for a couple who has now demanded a boutique short-stay agency comp the “nightmare” aftermath.
Inner East
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A Melbourne couple say they endured a “living nightmare” after a boutique short-stay company greenlit a tenant who has since been slapped with a major drug trafficking charge.
Luxico, an upmarket Airbnb-type company which markets itself for the filthy rich, is being hounded to cough up compensation after it allowed tenant Simon Simoudis to rent the couple’s inner-city apartment.
The couple, who do not want to be named, has demanded Luxico pay up more than $60,000 to cover alleged damage, loss of rental income, legal fees and stolen property.
Luxico, which markets itself for “rock stars, families and anyone who loves being treated like a VIP”, approved Mr Simoudis’ tenancy application in March this year.
Mr Simoudis presented himself to Luxico as a healthcare professional with “exemplary references” who purported to be a Mayne Pharma employee.
The couple authorised Mr Simoudis, who claimed to be a “pharmaceutical representative” in Melbourne for work, to move in on a three-month term.
The longer than usual term meant Luxico – which is not a registered real estate agent – engaged Infolio Property Advisors to manage the property.
Infolio raked in an 18 per cent cut of the rent for its services.
The couple alleged Mr Simoudis caused major issues for them and other tenants at the up-market complex shortly after he arrived in April this year.
“Mr Simoudis made our lives and the lives of other tenants in the building hell … with all-night parties …,” a spokesperson for the couple said.
The couple also claimed Mr Simoudis allegedly caused property damage and stole items.
The spokesperson, who visited the property after suspecting something was wrong, was “stunned” when they spotted “high-profile” convicted drug queen Tess Rowlatt at the apartment.
“I said ‘you’re that criminal Tess Rowlatt’ when I saw her … I recognised her immediately,” the spokesperson said.
The couple said their ordeal became a “living nightmare” after, they claim, two “rough-house thugs” forced entry into the apartment.
The spokesperson claimed the unidentified heavies caused damage to the door while perpetrating a suspected “drug run-through”.
The couple also said police attended the apartment multiple times and they and other tenants allegedly witnessed Mr Simoudis and associate Alexander ‘Alex’ Talpau stash suspected drug paraphernalia and identity forging material.
The couple sought assistance from Luxico and Infolio but were stonewalled.
“Luxico and Infolio inexplicably cut ties with us before the end of the lease, denying us the full assistance expected of a property manager and leaving us to deal with Mr Simoudis and the other pests on our own,” the spokesperson said.
The couple considered all options and reported Mr Simoudis to police.
The spokesperson, who claimed they found drugs at the apartment, feared Mr Simoudis would never move out.
Mr Simoudis, who left the apartment in June, and Mr Talpau have since been charged with trafficking a commercial quantity of meth.
“While the tenants have vacated and we have our apartment back we have been left out of pocket …,” the spokesperson said.
“The whole situation, which should never have been allowed to happen, left us shocked.”
The couple said they “demanded answers” from Luxico as to how they allowed Mr Simoudis to get through “their supposed extensive vetting process”.
The couple initiated legal action after they took a closer look at Mr Simoudis’ references and thought the paperwork to be forgeries.
A lawyer acting for the couple wrote to Luxico and Infolio claiming it was “abundantly clear” Mr Simoudis’ rental applications were “very obviously fraudulent”.
The lawyer also outlined it had contacted Mayne Pharma who confirmed Mr Simoudis “was not, and had never been, an employee”.
Mayne Pharma also confirmed it was “not the first time” it had received an inquiry regarding Mr Simoudis.
The lawyer also highlighted Mr Simoudis had put Rowlatt down as a personal reference which a “simple Google search” would “indicate an extensive history of drug trafficking related charges”.
“It is obvious that this individual (Simoudis) could not be legitimately employed by a pharmaceutical company,” the lawyer wrote.
“It is surprising that neither Luxico, nor Infolio would make such basic inquiries which would have no doubt uncovered the fraudulent nature of the application.
“We question if this deficit is due to some personal relationship with the tenant (Mr Simoudis).”
The couple, via their lawyer, also alleged Luxico “engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct”.
Luxico co-founder and managing director Alex Ormerod said there was “no reason” to suspect Mr Simoudis’ references were “false”.
“(The spokesperson) was previously a client of Luxico in relation to short-stay arrangements …,” Ms Ormerod said.
“The arrangement between (the former client) and Mr Simoudis constituted a residential tenancy agreement.
“As a result, this required management of the residential tenancy agreement by a licensed real estate agent.
“When Mr Simoudis was being assessed as a short-stay guest, he provided references and documents to Luxico.
“There was no reason for Luxico to suspect the any of these were false.
“Luxico was made aware that one of the documents and rental references supplied by Mr Simoudis are believed to have been falsified only after the cessation of the residential tenancy agreement …
“Luxico vigorously denies any professional misconduct or negligence …
“As a result, Luxico has no liability of any nature to (the former client).
“To the extent it can, Luxico is assisting (the former client’s) insurer with claims for recovery of alleged losses.”
Infolio did not respond to requests for comment.
Rowlatt, 35, made headlines after she was done for a major meth and drug dealing operation.
The party girl was sentenced in the County Court in February to time served – 419 days – after pleading guilty to trafficking a commercial quantity of drugs.
Rowlatt became the focus of a targeted operation conducted by the Victoria Police Major Drug Squad who arrested the drug queen at Upper West Side Spencer St apartment in October 2021.
Mr Simoudis and Mr Talpau will front court at a later date.
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