nbn Installation Issue at an Old Unit

theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 19:54
Last edited 23/03/2021 - 22:07 by 1 other user

Hi guys, so I am renting a very old unit which is over 60 years old.

I moved in, and wanted to get the internet. I used different providers to search this address and found NBN is the only plan provided. This building is connected to NBN but this unit is not. I waited 2 months for the NBN technician to come. He came and told me drilling permission from landlord and strata is needed and left.

I contact the agent. The agent talked to the landlord and tell me the landlord is unwilling to pay a cent for the internet. I say this is doggy because the landlord should pay for it, however I will pay if he does not pay. I called TPG which I signed with and asked whether there will be installation fee. They said typically there is not. However when I search on google I see some people saying there may be a application fee charged by strata.

The point is, I think I should not pay this fee because I am a tenant, not the landlord. And of course any property should be connected to internet in 2021. if they deny this installation this unit will remain disconnected forever. The cut off date for this address is July 1st. And now for new users the only option is NBN. And NBN will remain the only internet in the future.

I really wish I did not rent this this place but My work rely on internet heavily.

How do I deal with these dodgy people? Now I have been using my mobile phone for more than 2 months. It is painful.

Edit: I am not sure whether I can get the permission yet. So guys be careful do not make the same mistake I made. Sometimes outrageous thing happens.

Internet Broadband nbn

Comments

  • brendanm on 23/03/2021 - 19:56
    -5

    Woof woof.

    The landlord isn't the one that wants the internet connected. You are the one that wants internet connected, so you can pay.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 19:59
      +6

      Or his place disconnected forever. The landlord definitely should pay.
      He is waiting for someone to pay for him. Miserable.

      • brendanm on 23/03/2021 - 20:00
        -3

        It won't be disconnected forever. If at some point he wants to connect it, and a tenant hasn't, he can choose to do it then.

        The landlord definitely should pay

        Good luck with that, I'm sure the internet will be great at the next place you rent.

        • AlienC on 25/03/2021 - 20:12

          another stupid great comment by the legendary brendanm lol

          • brendanm on 26/03/2021 - 10:06

            @AlienC: I noticed you couldn't refute my statement. Op is confused about the "never getting NBN". The cutoff date is for when ADSL will be cut off, not for when you magically can never connect to NBN again.

            The landlord is also under no legal obligation to pay for the connection, and as op has stated they won't pay, the only NBN they'll be getting, is at their next rental.

            Feel free to disprove either of these statements.

            • AlienC on 26/03/2021 - 20:31

              @brendanm: Yeah nah what are you on about I don't think so mate.

              All good keep up the good work.

              Great stuff.

              Nice to see you have a nice day good bye.

              I wasn't being serious I have no idea what you are talking about and don't mean no intention to harm.

              You know better than me in this situation I am out.

              Peace.

              • brendanm on 26/03/2021 - 21:24

                @AlienC: Thanks for getting upset and following me into a thread you have no interest in.

                • AlienC on 26/03/2021 - 23:43

                  @brendanm: no problem alienc at your service my man we the ogs now

      • Settero on 23/03/2021 - 20:03
        +2

        why should the landlord pay ? its an optional service that the law does not say is required for a rental property. ( im not saying i agree with the law , but law says he does not have to).

        does your lease state NBN available or something that makes you feel he is obligated to pay for it ?

  • jjjaar on 23/03/2021 - 20:01

    Similar thing happened to a friend. They managed to negotiate not paying part of the rent to cover it. But it was a tough negotiation and took months. They got the internet installed well before they finalised negotiations.

  • robbyjones on 23/03/2021 - 20:02
    +1

    You will have to pay for it if you want it however you will need to provide permission for work to be done by the owner/strata for the NBN to proceed. The initial cost will be $400. You could also get friendly with your neighbour that already has internet, buy a wifi booster and split their internet costs with them and share their wifi.

    Oh, and it's dodgy not doggy, doggy is something very different.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 20:06
      +1

      Are you saying people do not need Internet in 2021?

      • robbyjones on 23/03/2021 - 20:09

        No, didn't say that at all, just saying if you want it and nbn hasn't been connected already and your landlord wont pay for it (and if it wasn't negotiated in your lease then you're sol) you will have to pay for it yourself.

      • brendanm on 23/03/2021 - 20:11
        -2

        Internet is not a necessity for life.

        • SF3 on 23/03/2021 - 20:20

          Just another red herring.

    • alxr0101 on 23/03/2021 - 20:14
      +2

      "
      ..proceed. The initial cost will be $400. You could…"

      Its an established building. There should not be a new development fee.

      Strata permission required for drilling as that is their property, not the landlords.

      Its a formality, apply for permission and get the NBN installed.

  • garetz on 23/03/2021 - 20:09
    +1

    Shouldnt you have made sure the place had internet before you rented it ? A few simple questions before you signed the lease would of gone a long way.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 20:23

      I asked. The agent just said you can open it yourself like in any other place. I just signed.

      • garetz on 23/03/2021 - 20:24
        +2

        Maybe dont trust agents so blindly and do your due diligence ? You could of very easily contacted a nbn provider, given them the address, and asked if nbn was installed, and if not how much it would cost to do so.

        Then had the costs associated being borne by the landlord added to your lease. If they refused then you could of gone elsewhere.

      • Quantumcat on 23/03/2021 - 21:23

        Do you have this in writing?

  • Randxyz123 on 23/03/2021 - 20:15
    +1

    Can you find out what the costs are? Are there any, because it sounded like the tech just wanted permission to drill in someone else’s wall? I’d push TPG on the installation costs. If it is more than basic installation they’ll tell you. But I’d get permission for drilling then see what they say.

    Is wireless an option? Eg 5G/4G but data only month-month from a fixed router. I think Optus is fairly reasonable if you can get good signal.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 20:21

      TPG said the NBN company is fully responsible for the installation. And NBN Co does not allow TPG to install. And TPG operator said there should not be any fees for me.

      • Randxyz123 on 24/03/2021 - 11:07

        What technology type are you getting? I’d suggest asking for permission to get it installed that is holes drilled if needed. Sounds like TPG aren’t going to charge you unless it involves getting an extra sparky out to do complex works. If that is the case the installer will tell you and you can go back to the LL. Maybe you can compromise and go 50/50 on the costs.

        While as others have said the internet is not essential I’d be a bit surprised if a land line phone isn’t considered essential. Given that you should be able to get the NBN connected without much of a issue (i.e they can’t say no to holes been drilled if necessary).

  • SF3 on 23/03/2021 - 20:18
    +1

    any property should be connected to internet in 2021

    Yes, should, not must.

    How do I deal with these doggy dodgy people?

    FTFY

    You are entitled to pay for it yourself, not entitled to landlord paying. Despite you think a property should be connected to the internet.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 20:22
      +1

      Are you a landlord? If you search on google everyone says landlord should pay. Internet is necessary for everyone. And NBN is the only landline solution now.

      • brendanm on 23/03/2021 - 20:32

        Internet is necessary for everyone.

        Incorrect. Even if it was, you don't need a fixed internet connection, and the landlord is under no requirement to provide one.

        • theabyss on 24/03/2021 - 12:46
          -1

          Cannot agree with you. You may be a landlord enjoying ripping people off.

          • brendanm on 24/03/2021 - 14:12
            +2

            @theabyss: What you agree with, and what you are going to get, will be two different things.

  • Domingo on 23/03/2021 - 20:36
    +3

    This looks helpful for you - source: https://www.tenants.org.au/factsheet-23-utilities

    New connections
    If you want a new connection installed you must have the landlord’s consent. Installation of a carriage service for connecting a phone line or internet is an alteration that is of a ‘minor nature’, as prescribed by the Regulations. This means the landlord/agent cannot unreasonably refuse consent (see the NSW Fair Trading factsheet ‘Asking to make an alteration’ at fairtrading.nsw.gov.au).

    You will have to pay for installation (although the landlord may agree to pay or contribute to the cost) and any repairs to connections you have installed.

    I'd expect you'll have to pay a connection fee, if there is one. Given it is an old unit I'd expect it was in nbn's original rollout plan, so you shouldn't be up for the $300 New Development Charge. However you may need to do some kind of coordination between nbn and your strata as they'll potentially need access to common areas to get you connected.

    • theabyss on 23/03/2021 - 20:40

      Thank you! I think the NBN Co will not charge me. But I have no idea whether the strata will charge a fee. And I don’t know when they can give an answer.

      • garetz on 23/03/2021 - 20:47
        +1

        If the nbn co dont charge you directly, they may charge strata, and strata will charge the owner, then the owner will pass on the charges to you.

        Either way whatever the outcome, you will be forced to pay the charges.

        • alxr0101 on 23/03/2021 - 22:23
          +2

          nbn will not charge strata.

          Suggest go and read nbn site.

          There is no charge for installation.

          Nbn do require strata permission to drill holes in their property…..same with landlord..

          just get their gp ahead and schedule an install.

  • c64 on 23/03/2021 - 21:22
    +1

    might be easier to get optus/vodafone 4g? would depend on tower locations though

  • trustnoone on 23/03/2021 - 21:26
    +3

    If your place allows it, you might want to try the Optus 5G unlimited broadband. A bit up there in price, but could be a good option and not have to deal with all this:
    https://www.optus.com.au/broadband-nbn/5g-home-broadband/5g-…

    I personally use the Optus 4G month to month (can't get the 5G version where I live)
    https://www.optus.com.au/broadband-nbn/4g-home-internet

    Internet is more then I normally use on my own (500gig) and speed is typically okay compared to nbn of similar price (3MB/s max, normally I get closer to 1.8MB/s) for $69ish I think a month. Works at least for Netflix/Foxtel and teams/zoom.

    Then you don't have to deal with any of the above. Unfortunately it does mean dealing with Optus though which can be a nuisance in itself. They also do a credit check even if your on the monthly plan which was annoying.

    It has cut out a few times for me (usually on bad weather) but works great otherwise, but I'm guessing it really REALLY depends on your coverage.

  • bmerigan on 23/03/2021 - 22:29
    +2

    Do a deal with your neighbour (pay half, upgrade the plan) and share their wifi.

    • Porker on 24/03/2021 - 09:32

      This is good if you're on really good terms with your neighbour. It does become an issue when, for example, the modem needs to be reset and it's in the middle of the night etc.

  • Porker on 24/03/2021 - 09:30

    OP, if you wanted satellite TV or AC in all the rooms… or basically anything that wasn't there when you signed up on the lease, do you expect that the landlord should pay for it all?

    You rented a house that hand no internet connection. The landlord is not obliged to pay for the installation of a new one. They might choose to pay for it, but their choice not to does not make them a dog.. or a doggy… or dodgy. I pay for certain upgrades for my tenants, but that's only because they're good tenants.

    If you're upset that you have to pay for it and they get the benefit, you can have it removed (again at your cost) when you leave the rental. ie. return the property back to it's original state (less wear and tear)

    • theabyss on 24/03/2021 - 12:35
      -1

      Satellite TV or Aircon is totally another thing. Internet is essential. How do you live without internet? Whether it is work or entertainment, internet is fundamental.

      • brendanm on 24/03/2021 - 14:13

        Whether it is work or entertainment, internet is fundamental.

        😂😂😂

      • Porker on 24/03/2021 - 14:42

        Again… you rented a place with no internet and now want it. Internet is NOT essential. It's not essential to living or surviving or renting a place as opposed to water and heating.

        You've become dependent on internet such that YOU feel it's essential.

        I guess it's time for you to move out or pay for internet installation.

        • theabyss on 24/03/2021 - 14:53

          When I move in I don’t know it is like this. The agent says go online open an account with provider you like,done. And I really don’t expect a property to stay disconnected in 2021. I don’t even think it exists until I see it.

          • Porker on 24/03/2021 - 15:08

            @theabyss: When I've had tenants that wanted something that wasn't originally included, they've kindly offered to perform one of the following; pay half installation, if not pay then agreed to slight rental increase upon my paying for installation, or pay for themselves on agreement they remove the item when vacating.

            Doesn't seem like you've tried to broker any middle ground with the landlord other than to say to them that they NEED to pay for it.

            Are you sure the property doesn't have ADSL? At least for a very short period of use prior to being cut off. It probably does but ISPs aren't listing it because of the pending cut off date. You could've potentially had 2 months of it's use and saved your painful internet phone experience.

            • theabyss on 24/03/2021 - 18:40

              @Porker: You enjoyed it. But I don’t think your tenants enjoyed it. Most landlords in Aus are spoiled by the seller’s market and cannot even make a fair judgement. No company will accept that and NBN is the only internet now. Why would a provider specifically connect an old internet because some mad people simply want to rip few hundred dollars from the tenants? If you live in the place what do you feel?

              • theabyss on 24/03/2021 - 18:42
                -2

                @theabyss: The Internet is a basic human right. A sneaky people who always want to benefit from ripping other people off will never be respected. You know it, you just cannot admit it.

                • Porker on 24/03/2021 - 21:16
                  +1

                  @theabyss: Basic human right….??? In what world are you living in?

                  I can only imagine the hell you must be living in without basic internet access.

                  Your landlord must be the most evil person ever to deny you this survival life-line.

                  I feel sorry for you…. hope you're never in a situation where you don't have access to fresh water, or are unable to walk about in society freely or ither genuine human rights… But as long as you have internet.

                  • theabyss on 25/03/2021 - 11:38
                    -3

                    @Porker: Of course it is a basic human right. You are unreasonable on this issue. Amusingly you will not be able to bear your home without internet. And you are enjoying it when you are typing to attack the tenant side. Your double standard is obvious. And your point cannot stand.

                    • Porker on 25/03/2021 - 12:20
                      +1

                      @theabyss: My point is that internet is NOT a basic human right. You keep banging on that it is which is why it's so amusing egging you on.

                      Basic human rights are, for example, right to life, right to privacy, right to worship whatever religion etc. Internet is in no way comparable to anything of that importance.

                      Yes you're right and I'm writing this response from internet I paid for.

                      Let me know if you need some free tissues to wipe those tears of yours away. They're landlord quality so are premium - I only buy the best for my face.

                      • theabyss on 25/03/2021 - 13:13
                        -2

                        @Porker: You just went off. Happy to see that. Useless people went off when they are unreasonable and pointed out clearly why they are wrong. I am not short of money and I just see a spoiled and unethical landlord here acting like a clown.

                        • Porker on 25/03/2021 - 15:14
                          -1

                          @theabyss: Hahaha!!

                          Yes, all landlords are evil and we prey on the people like you. Sucker! We thank you for the rent you pay to us and the free NBN connection you'll be paying for on our properties.

                          ".. Useless people went off when they are unreasonable.." <— Sounds like someone not reading the T&C and then bagging Samsung because they didn't get their free game.

                          You win in that I'm giving up in responding to this petty argument with you. It's just a waste of my time. :)

                          • theabyss on 25/03/2021 - 15:48
                            -3

                            @Porker: You lost. And you still cannot admit it and keep dragging irrelevant things in. And do not drag other people in. Your being evil does not mean all other people all being evil. I feel sorry for you. If you have a religion you should be thankful that your god did not punish you yet. But you will get it in the end.

                    • Twix on 25/03/2021 - 18:04
                      +1

                      @theabyss: Internet is not a basic human right or law and no I'm not a landlord.

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