142 Dundas Street

Direct feedback from previous tenants

Our current landlord for 2016 is awesome—very kind and quick to respond to any issues we have. The shower pressure is great, and the rent is reasonable at $120. However, like many Dunedin flats, it's quite cold, with condensation on the bathroom walls and windows in the mornings. The kitchen is small and can get frustrating when more than one person is trying to use it, and the rooms vary greatly in size. There is a nice sunroom for summer and drying clothes in winter, but overall, it feels like a typical Dunedin scalfie flat that could be improved.

The flat is absolutely freezing cold no matter what room you're in, and you must use the heat pump in winter or you'll freeze to death; it only heats the lounge well, leaving other areas cold. There's minimal sun in the bedrooms, and the hot water is useless—you're lucky to get two five-minute showers in a row. The landlord has a language barrier and doesn't bring in certified tradesmen when needed, often waiting two or more weeks to address ongoing problems. The best thing about the flat is the heat pump, but the hot water situation and the landlord are definitely the worst aspects.

I lived in a tidy wee flat that was warm and comfortable. The landlord was great, always responsive and helpful. However, the only downside was the high electricity bill.

My flat gets very little sun and is very damp, often colder inside than outside, and we've even had mushrooms grow in the bathroom and laundry—very gross! Our landlord was slow to address problems; when we moved in, there was no hot water in the shower, and we had to shower at Unipol for O week while he attempted to fix it himself. It took him three weeks to get a plumber for the kitchen sink after we had to bucket hot water from the laundry. The only saving grace was the heat pump; I couldn't have survived without it!

The house has a heat pump downstairs, but since heat rises, the top story was warm and comfortable while the bottom story was cold and had some mould due to lack of sun. The landlord only did one inspection in October and was a bit hard to reach, though he was willing to address issues like a broken dishwasher or plumbing problems. The best features are the spacious layout and two bathrooms, but it would be good to have a better heating source for downstairs.

The flat has everything you need and nothing you don't, and it's warmer than a lot of other flats I've seen. The landlord usually responds and fixes problems the same day, which is great. The only downside is that the sun doesn't stay long.

The flat is pretty basic and lacks insulation, making it very cold, especially with heaters installed in the wrong places that were never used. While the location is good, the leaky roof and hardly any sunlight are significant downsides. The landlord didn't install the heat pump as per the rental contract, often shows up without notice, and isn't always easy to contact. The shower is decent, but overall, the lack of sunlight is the worst part of living here.

The house is fully furnished with an extra fridge and freezer, but it's an old, mouldy place that needs some TLC, as it nearly never gets sun and is damp. The landlord speaks limited English, which can lead to constant miscommunication, and since the flat requires ongoing maintenance, I recommend documenting all damages carefully to avoid unexpected bond deductions—I was charged an extra $100 for pre-existing issues. The best part is definitely the location, but the landlord is the worst aspect of the experience.

The house is reasonably warm and cozy, with a home-like feel, but the heat pump is misplaced in an area where it’s not needed, so it’s never used. The best thing about the flat is its location, but the landlord does not give reasonable notice when he wants something, like inspections.

Dundas Hill is unmanageable in frost, ice, or snow, and the lounge is too small to hang out properly, with bedrooms varying in size. The landlord is good and fixes problems quickly, and the best thing about the place is the shower pressure. However, it can get cold, and the heaters are really expensive to run.

The house is freezing and has a serious mould problem, making it quite uncomfortable. However, the best aspects are the location and the friendly neighbours. Overall, the experience has been challenging due to the cold and damp conditions.