Hi all,

I’ve run into a spot of bother, I guess you could say.

Broke up with my fiance, she booted me out of our house (again) on 9th August, two weeks ago. In our subsequent text messaging, it seems I’ve lost a few things along the way.

She had been taking photos on my digital SLR camera, and was doing a better job than me, so I said she could have the camera. The camera bag included my brother’s 300mm lens. She’s now claiming ownership of the camera and 300mm lens and I’m needing to buy myself a replacement. Lesson learnt on that one – don’t joke about someone being able to have your camera, because she’ll take it literally and literally take it.

But the main issue I’m having now, and hoping to get your opinion on it .. All my stuff is still in the house and garage. I had planned to go there on Monday with a truck to get it all. My name isn’t on the lease, it never was, and we have been there since February on a 12-month lease in her name only. We broke up, she cracked it, she has people chasing her for money and has now decided in her infinite wisdom to pack what she can fit into the car and leave… She won’t tell me where she’s going, but just said it’s not a safe place. She has the option to take the pets (4 cats and 2 dogs including a 9-week-old puppy), but despite claiming to love the pets so much and previously been such a great animal activist, has said she’s not taking them and will leave them in the house on their own, and maybe her parents will take them to an animal foster care place. No idea why she’s doing any of this, she’s just lost the plot.

But with all my stuff being in there, I have a key to the house, but no key to the garage (which has a bolt and chain that is bolt cutter proof) or side gate. She says I owe her money (over $1000) and until it’s paid she won’t let her parents give me the key to get into the garage to get my things out.

So, question – can she legally prevent me getting access to my things in the garage?

She _ says_ you owe her money, do you owe her money or is this part of her mania?

Does Oz still have legal aid offices? How about asking at your local neighbourhood centre if they have a tenancy advice person or any other useful contact? I’d get that type of advice to take her and the parents on.

G’luck :)

kii said:

She _ says_ you owe her money, do you owe her money or is this part of her mania?

Does Oz still have legal aid offices? How about asking at your local neighbourhood centre if they have a tenancy advice person or any other useful contact? I’d get that type of advice to take her and the parents on.

G’luck :)

Thanks Kii. Yeh we have legal aid still.

So we both split rent, paid half each, every month. But now we find that each month rent was paid short. So the property was advertised at $260/wk, so we paid $1040/month. But now, after 6 months, they’re saying it’s paid short each month and there’s 4.3 weeks per month, not 4 weeks, so they’re after the rent that was missing each month. No idea why they’re only bringing it up now instead of months ago. So she’s saying I owe half of that. Which I guess is fair enough.

But I hadn’t paid bills while I was there. I had put a lot of money into groceries and paid half rent, but also had a most of my money going towards petrol (I worked 70km from home) and her regular purchases from sellers in Facebook groups. So she’s chasing me for half the cost of bills from the 6 months I was there.

I can’t advise on the legality of it but there’s not many padlocks that will stand up to an angle grinder :)

Ring the police for advice (especially about the Animals)

if they agree to attend

then ring the RSPCA

I’d ring the RSPCA for their advice about animals that may be locked up in a house

Are they in the house?

Have they been dropped off at a animals refuge center / RSPCA

pommiejohn said:

I can’t advise on the legality of it but there’s not many padlocks that will stand up to an angle grinder :)

He owns half the padlock anyway.