Moving into a new rental property can sometimes be daunting and overwhelming. Explained below are some of our expectations during your tenancy.
Entry Condition Report
At the commencement of your tenancy you will be provided with an Entry Condition Report that outlines the condition of the property. You have 3 days in which to complete this report, initial each page and sign and return it to our office.
If you fail to return your original Entry Condition Report then the copy of this report we have kept in our office will be used at the end of your tenancy.
If you are not happy with the condition of the property when you first enter, please contact our office immediately.
Care of Property
Please take good care of your Landlords valuable asset. There are clearly set out Terms in your signed Tenancy Agreement:
Clause 26 Tenants Obligations – s 188 (2) and (3)
(1) The tenant must keep the premises clean, having regard to their condition at the start of the tenancy.
(2) The tenant must not maliciously damage, or allow someone else to maliciously damage the premises.
Please do not put blue tack or sticky tape on doors or walls, remove or relocate any fixtures or make any strutural changes to the property.
Please place felt under furniture on timber floors to avoid scratching and marking the floors.
Routine Inspections
Routine inspections are an essential way of ensuring our landlords that their property is being maintained to a satisfactory standard as well as a great way of picking up on any routine maintenance that may be required. Your first inspection will be 6 weeks after your move in date then every three months. These inspections are carried out to ensure that the property is being maintained to the standard in which you received it. Photographs to complete the inspection report may be taken during these inspections.
Rental Payments
We prefer you to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly by direct transfer into our account provided on page 2 of your General Tenancy Agreement. You may also pay by cheque or EFT.
Rent Arrears
On commencement of your tenancy you will have paid 2 weeks ent in advance. In one weeks time you then pay a further weeks rent you will always be a week in front. We recommend this to avoid late payment of rent. We are very strict on rent payments.
If you fall more than 3 days in rent arrears, a SMS text message will be sent to remind you your rent is in arrears payment is required.
If you fall a further 2 days, ie 5 days in arrears, you will receive a phone call from your poroperty manager.
If your rent falls 7 days in arrears you will be issued with a ‘Notice to Remedy Breech’ as you have breeched the terms of your tenancy agreement. If the breech is not remedied by the due date, you may be issued with a ‘Notice to Leave’. This should be taken very seriously as this is the first part of the eviction process and may mean procuring a future rental may be difficult.
We strictly monitor rent payments every day.
Keys
On your signup appointment, you will be provided with one full set of keys/remotes and an additional entry key for each tenant. We will photocopy the keys which you will sign for and must be returned at the end of your tenancy.
Smoking
All our properties are strictly non-smoking inside whatsoever. If we have evidence of smoking inside it will need to be professionally cleaned upon vacating and/or you may be issue with a Notice to leave.
Repairs
Please report all maintenance to the office in writing (by email preferrably), immediately. If you have an emergency please phone 0434 046 478. You will be issued with an information sheet explaining what is and what isn’t an emergency repair as well as emergency contact phone numbers.
We action maitenance asap if not immediately. We ask if you haven’t been contacted by a tradesperson within 24 hours of reporting said maintenance, that you advise your property manager.
Some of our landlords prefer maintenance to be run by them prior to being actioned and sometimes may take time for them to reply to us. We appreciate your patience during these time.
Insurance
It is the tenants responsibility to insure their own belongings.
Smoke Alarms
Please advise our office immediately if you have any issues with Smoke alarms. Please do not remove batteries or tamper with smoke alarms as this can have serious consequences.
Pets
If you have permission from the Landlord to keep pets at the property it is important to keep pets outside. You will be required to provide a professional pest treatment upon vacating and provide a receipt to show this has been done by an accredited contractor.
Water usage
Your water usage conditions will be agreed prior to you signing your General Tenancy Agreement.
Carpets and beds
Carpets and beds (if property is fully furnished) are to be cleaned upon vacating. This will have been done prior to you moving into the property.
Pest Control
We suggest for our Landlords to do regular interior and exterior pest control at their property. Please let our office know if you think your property is in need of this treatment.
Termites can cause major damage to a property so please do not store ANY items close to the side of or leaning on the property or rake leaves up against the property. If you notice any suspicious activity please inform our office immediately.
Occupancy
When you sign your Tenancy Agreement, the number and names of people allowed to reside at the residence is noted in the ‘Special Terms’ section. Anyone residing at the property without being approved will result in a breech of your tenancy agreement.
Gardens
Unless agreed otherwise prior to commencing your tenancy it will be required that you maintain gardens and lawns. It is required that you regularly mow, weed and remove garden rubbish including palm fronds. Lawn clippings and Palm fronds are not to be piled up on garden beds or next to a fence or leant against the property as this is a fire, vermin and termite hazard.
Rubbish Bins
You will be provided with bins which you must place all rubbish into. It is a requirement for you to put the bins out and bring them back in on allocated rubbish collection days. We recommend that you wash your bins inside and out on a regular basis.
Renewing your tenancy
Approximately 2 months prior to the end of your fixed term tenancy you will be contacted to see if you wish to extend your tenancy for a further term of 6 or 12 months.
Vacating
Strict guidelines are in place for vacating. We require a minimum of 2 weeks notice accompanied by a Notice of Intention to Leave (Form 13).
Breaking a lease
A lease is a legal and binding contract once it is signed. Should you find yourself in the position of wanting to break your lease, you will be responsible to pay rent until another approved tenant is found/or until the end of your tenancy, whichever comes first.
A break-lease fee of one week’s rent plus GST is charged as well as an advertising fee.