Rahnee Bransby and tenants in other apartments at a Marine Parade complex in Cottesloe were told to leave within seven days after the building was deemed uninhabitable because of a reported structural concern. Bransby said residents were not told what the problem was or why the building had been deemed unsafe; the real estate agent attributed the decision to structural problems identified in an engineering report.
Why were Rahnee Bransby and the other tenants told to leave?
PerthNow reported on 11 March 2025 that residents received notice on Valentine’s Day and had to move out by 21 February. Bransby, a Perth lifestyle and fashion blogger, said she and her partner stayed with friends after leaving.
“Our lease got terminated and we had seven days to move out,” Bransby told PerthNow. She said tenants had not been given an explanation of what the issue was, what caused it, or why the property had been deemed uninhabitable. The report does not identify the authority that deemed the building uninhabitable or include its formal determination. PerthNow’s 11 March report is the source for the tenants’ account and the agent’s explanation.
What structural issue was reported?
Real estate agent Chris Shellabear said an engineering report found structural problems involving the building’s corner columns, which supported steel lintels and timber veranda beams. PerthNow did not publish the full engineering report, so the agent’s description should not be treated as the engineer’s complete findings or as a direct quotation from the report.
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Bransby described earlier work to remove asbestos from the eaves and replace windows. The report establishes that this work preceded the move-out, but does not establish that it caused the structural concern.
What did the tenancy guidance say about the seven-day notice?
PerthNow quoted a Consumer Protection spokesperson saying that Western Australia’s Residential Tenancies Act requires at least seven days’ notice to end a lease when a property has been deemed unfit to live in by a local government or another authority. The spokesperson also said a landlord is not required to provide alternative accommodation in the circumstances described. This was guidance reported in March 2025, not a decision on whether every legal requirement was met in this particular case.
A 2019 Consumer Protection landlord bulletin says a tenancy may be terminated if all or part of a rental property becomes uninhabitable because of damage or is declared uninhabitable by local government or another authority. It also discusses landlords’ responsibilities to provide premises that are safe and reasonably maintained, and says tenants are not responsible for repairs or for paying repair costs from their bond. Because that bulletin dates to 2019, tenants facing a similar situation should check current law and official guidance rather than rely on it as a complete statement of today’s rules. Read the Consumer Protection landlord bulletin.
What about moving expenses, the bond and alternative accommodation?
The Consumer Protection spokesperson quoted by PerthNow said tenants may be able to claim moving costs depending on the circumstances and should seek legal advice if they believe they have a claim. The spokesperson also said the landlord should finalise the tenancy and repay the bond in the usual way, less any mutually agreed expenses to which the landlord may be entitled. The report does not establish what was paid or agreed in Bransby’s case.
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For a rental dispute in Western Australia, Consumer Protection can help parties try to resolve the matter, but it cannot order either side to accept a resolution. Courts or tribunals can make orders. Consumer Protection’s rental-disputes page explains that distinction. For advice about a specific notice, bond or expense claim, tenants should check current official guidance and obtain legal advice suited to their circumstances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did the tenants challenge the notice in court?
PerthNow reported that five residents, including David George, attended a pre-trial hearing in Fremantle on 12 March 2025 after refusing to return their keys within the notice period. A directions hearing was expected the next day. A 14 March PerthNow follow-up covered the court proceedings. The available reporting does not establish the final outcome, so it does not show that either the tenants or the landlord ultimately prevailed.
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