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Stacey Moseley
A new rental property review website that only allows consumers to post negative comments has come under fire from industry professionals.
The website, dontrentme.com.au, allows a consumer to locate an address that they have tenanted and write a review about their experience with the landlord and property manager. The consumer can also rank the property out of five 'negative' stars.
According to Leighton Walters, business development manager at True Property, the website lacks credibility as it only allows for negative posts.
“I think it will have nothing but a negative impact on the industry because it doesn’t reveal any positive aspects of an agent,” he told Real Estate Business.
“It is going to give tenants an unwarranted reason to not rent properties and it will discriminate against owners who do actually maintain their homes.
“There is nothing stopping an upset tenant or one of your competitors going on there and posting something that is completely untrue.”
But according to website creator Anthony Ziebell, dontrentme.com.au is an “online movement” that will help make the rental market a more honest and even place.
“We want to make sure there is an understanding that the website and its community has been put together in order to make all things equal and fair,” he told Real Estate Business.
“Bad agents and landlords probably have a reason for concern, much like the agent who recently was banned for five years in Melbourne.
“Just like any other crooks, bad agents should have [reason] to be concerned and those who are honest agents have no reason for concern.”
However Tim McKibbin, CEO of the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW), said the creator of the website has done themselves an injustice by not allowing for both negative and positive comments on the site.
“Firstly, these sorts of sites are going to be offered to consumers. We already see that in a number of other industries including travel, with the very successful TripAdvisor.com,” he told Real Estate Business.
“I think they do themselves an injustice because they are not showing both stories. If they wanted to provide a genuine opportunity for consumers to draw attention to property managers then they need to have space for both negative and positive comments because it adds credibility to the entire site.”
Mr Ziebell said that there were no plans to allow agents an area to respond to comments about their properties or services.
“If evidence of falsification is provided and is by our opinion reasonable, we will remove a false review,” he said.
“It is our plan in the future to collect enough data that we can offer data analysis to good agents, so that agency directors can ensure that the good practices they implement inside their businesses are followed through by their agents.
“This data will also assist good agencies in avoiding known, bad landlords.”
Mr Walters is calling for the site to be taken down.
“This website will add nothing to our profession. It brings down good property managers that devote their lives to our industry and our career,” he said.
“It undermines the whole profession and I call for it to be taken down.”
- <p>What a rediculous website!! Any unethical tenant could get on here and give a decent agent or landlord a bad reputation - even if this tenant had been evicted for example. There is NOTHING on this site to validate honest remarks made by anyone.<p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>WHAT A CROCK THIS IS !!!!! :o</p>0
- <p>I would look forward to reading an evidence based and factual report on this website. Got a feeling this would never be the case. Therefore it would be an unprofessional and useless website. I would like to see an evidence based register for repeat offenders as tenants though. This would have merit with regard to the landlords substantial investment and risk.</p>0
- <p>Ah yes here we go again, another web site all for the negative. Imagine the uproar in this country if agents did what they do in America, They post a video on You Tube of how a tenant lives (good or bad) they show the damage caused as well. Where do people think this will lead, I will guarantee you push negativity you will get negativity watch landlords start selling their investments, watch people stop buying investment properties and WATCH RENTS SKY ROCKET. Mark my words an owner gets a bad rap against their property and the first thing that will happen is they will exit the investment market. The most important thing is for agents, landlords and tenants to be honest. We have sacked landlords because they would not do repairs and maintenance but does that make that landlord a bad person no it does not, they simply might not be able to afford to improve the property. Everyone has an avenue for their issues, tenants have the CTTT and in my opinion that process is pretty good.</p>0
- <p>I would like to invite Anthony Ziebell to spend a month with a company in Property Mangement and be escorted around to see what is involved, to see if his website is really worth any credibilty, as we can all prove him wrong.</p>0
- <p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>Interesting John how you expect to have a right of reply in this site but support a site that does not offer the same........there is a word to describe that mentality. Oh and this site makes you put in a valid email address to.<p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>I am sure no one would object to a site call dontrentto<a href="me.com.au" rel="nofollow">me.com.au</a> where agents and landlords could make unsubstantiated and unchallengeable claims about tenants?? Would you support that site too?</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>Yes, anyone who has a complaint of an agent or landlord must simply be a troll.<p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>I tried out the site and it requires a valid email address for verification. It's not completely anonymous.Seems to be a 'troll' based website as people anonymously leave negative comments. Think consumers will see it for what it is, and those who dont, we dont want as tenants.0
- <p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>Yes, anyone who has a complaint of an agent or landlord must simply be a troll.<p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>I tried out the site and it requires a valid email address for verification. It's not completely anonymous.</p>Seems to be a 'troll' based website as people anonymously leave negative comments. Think consumers will see it for what it is, and those who dont, we dont want as tenants.0
- <p>Seems to be a 'troll' based website as people anonymously leave negative comments. Think consumers will see it for what it is, and those who dont, we dont want as tenants.</p>0
- <p>I think the site serves as a good warning mechanism. I read one review which says the landlord at the address tricked students into paying a deposit then locked them out. They say the police did nothing and there would be no rental contract. There is nothing left in this case but this site. It might warn other would-be renters away into the arms of good agents. This is a good thing.</p>0
- <p>Anthony Ziebel's motives have to be in question here. Regardless of the spin he puts on his reasons for the website, it is evident that his motives are to hurt Landlords & property managers. I would hazard a guess that he may have been a bad tenant, was dealt with accordingly, and hence revenge.</p>0
- <p>This isn't as concerning as you might think. Unlike other sites where anonymous parties can bag a business or a hotel, in this case it will be clear that the last tenant was the poster. Normal defamation rules apply. If the post is incorrect and the landlord and/or agent are defamed then it is just a matter of legal action. <p class='break'>&nbsp;</p><p class='break'>&nbsp;</p>This site will go nowhere because of that, move on with your day and look after your customers!</p>0
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