Guide to Renting

 
Emergencies & After Hours

In the event of an emergency please refer to the emergency contact numbers on your lease agreement or refer to the numbers on our website.  

 

It is your responsibility to have all the services at the property connected and placed in your name.

Contact numbers the main utility companies are:

 

Your rent must be paid in advance at all times.

If at any time you are unable to make a rental payment in full and/or on time, please make immediate contact with your Property Manager.

 

 

Our office will send you an electronic copy of the Property Condition Report. This report is very important as it outlines the condition of the property at the commencement of your tenancy.

When you have vacated the property the condition at that time is compared to the condition at commencement and any variation (fair wear and tear excepted) will be your responsibility to reinstate.

Please review the Property Condition Report thoroughly making any additional comments you feel are necessary to accurately establish the condition of the property. It is in your best interests to ensure that it is a comprehensive and accurate description of the property’s current condition.

You must complete and give a copy of the condition report to your landlord or agent within 7 days after moving into the property. You must also keep a copy of the completed report.

If a signed copy is not returned to this agency within 7 days and a dispute arises at the end of your tenancy, the condition of the property will most likely be assessed as that indicated on the Report completed by this office.

The rental bond is money you may have to pay at the start of the tenancy as security. It must be in the form of money and not as a guarantee. The bond is equivalent of 4 weeks rent. 

Your agent will give you the option to pay your bond using Rental Bonds Online (RBO). You can use RBO to securely pay your bond direct to NSW Fair Trading using a credit card or BPAY, without the need to fill out and sign a bond lodgement form. Once registered, you can continue to use your RBO account for future tenancies.

If you decide not to use RBO, you can ask your agent or landlord for a paper bond lodgement form for you to sign, so that it can be lodged with NSW Fair Trading. The landlord must deposit any bond you pay them with NSW Fair Trading within 10 working days. If the bond is paid to the agent, the agent must deposit the bond with NSW Fair Trading within 10 working days after the end of the month in which the bond was paid.

 

 

 

All requests for repairs and maintenance must be reported to our office in writing.  Wherever possible please supply photos as proof of the problem.

In the event of an urgent repair required outside office hours, and your Property Manager is un-contactable, arrangement for repairs can be made directly with the trades people listed on your Residential Tenancy Agreement. Emergency contact numbers are also listed on the website.

Your Property Manager will attend to all non urgent repairs within 2 business days; however in many instances it will be necessary to obtain the owner’s approval before any work can commence.

Smoke Alarms

Landlords must ensure that smoke alarms are installed on all levels of the property. Your landlord must maintain the smoke alarms in your property to ensure they are working.
You should notify your landlord or agent if a smoke alarm is not working. They are responsible for repairing (including replacing a battery) or replacing a smoke alarm within 2 business days after they become aware that it is not working.
You can choose to replace a removable battery if it needs replacing, but you must notify the landlord if and when you do this. You are not responsible for maintaining, repairing or replacing a smoke alarm. 

Routine Inspections

During the course of your tenancy, your Property Manager will inspect your property periodically. This will include an inspection 3 months after your tenancy commences and then every 6 months.

We will contact you in writing at least 7 days prior to the inspection. The purpose of these inspections is to advise the owner of the condition of the property, how it is being maintained by you, and to allow you to advise us of any repairs or maintenance you feel are needed.

If you cannot be present, we will use our office keys to enter the property.

The results of all routine inspections are sent to the landlord in report format and accompanied by photographs. 

Our office retains a duplicate key to all properties for emergency access.

Unfortunately, locks can only be changed, added to or altered after you have obtained permission from your Property Manager, and you would then need to supply us with any new keys.

Unfortunately, the owner’s insurance cover on the property does not extend to cover your belongings. On this basis, we strongly suggest that you take out comprehensive contents insurance to cover your belongings against fire, theft and other perils.

In the event that you, another occupier, or visitor accidentally damages the property and rectification work is required, you may be required to pay any excess that may apply to the owner’s insurance cover.

Sub-Leasing

Your Tenancy Agreement states the maximum permissible number of people who can occupy the property. If there is any change, in either the original occupants or any additional occupants move into the property, please notify your Property Manager immediately.

The owner’s consent is required should you wish to sub-lease the property.

All tenants named on the Tenancy Agreement are equally responsible for the behaviour of their guests (including any children) while on the property.

 

• If you intend to vacate at the end of your Tenancy Agreement you are required to give 14 days written notice to us, prior to the expiry of your agreement.
• Once the fixed term of your Tenancy Agreement has expired you must give us at least 21 days written notice in advance.

A termination notice must:

• be in writing
• be signed and dated by the party giving the notice
• include the address of the rented property
• state the day the tenancy agreement will end (when the tenant must be fully moved out)
• include the ground for termination (unless given by a tenant to end a periodic agreement or a fixed term agreement at the end of the term).

 

If any unforeseen circumstances arise and you have to vacate the property prior to the expiration of your Tenancy Agreement, please contact your Property Manager immediately.