ALLYOUNEEDTOKNOWABOUTRENTING

(08) 9757 9333margaretriverrealestate.com.au

THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED BY PROSPECTIVE TENANTS ARE ‘WHERE DO I START?’, ‘WHAT DO I DO?’ AND ‘WHAT DOCUMENTATION WILL I NEED?’

The information below will answer most of these questions and make it easier for you to find a suitable property.

When deciding to rent a property, you need to ask yourself:

• How much can I realistically afford to pay?

• Where would I/we be happy living?

• Do I need to be close to town, the beach, work or school?

• Do I need a garage?

• How many bedrooms do I need?

• Must I have a house, or will a town-house, duplex or unit be suitable?

• If you are single, are you considering sharing with someone?

The answers to the above questions will help you refine your search considerably.

PLEASE NOTE THAT BY LAW YOU CANNOT SUB-LET WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE LANDLORD.

When attending a viewing of a rental property, pay attention to the size of the dwelling and consider whether you and your friends or family will be comfortable living in the property. Ask yourself…does it have air-conditioning, is the yard enclosed or open? What is the bath/shower like? Type of hot water system? Are the floor materials, whether tiles/lino/carpet or timber floorboards, in satisfactory condition? These matters can all be forgotten in the moment, so it would be helpful to make a checklist to take with you when viewing properties you really like.

If you are interested in one of our advertised rental properties, simply contact us by phone or call into the office and register your interest. When a date has been arranged for a viewing of the property you are interested in, we will send you a text and you will then be required to call the office to find out exactly what time the viewing has been organised and then to advise us if you will be attending or not. Due to the current high demand in rentals, we conduct viewings for all prospective tenants at the same time.

If the property has no viewings scheduled, we will forward your contact details to the Property Manager and you will receive a text, as above, once a viewing has been arranged.

These days, the internet is the most widely used advertising source. Look on our rental list on our website margaretriverrealestate.com.au or visit Margaret River Real Estate’s office in the heart of town on the main street and pick up a list of available rental properties. You can also contact our office by phone 08 9757 9333 and enquire about available rental properties and find out about organised viewings for those properties.

After you have viewed a rental property, the Property Manager will give you a copy of our company’s tenancy application form on site. We do require an application to be detailed and thorough in order for us to process your tenancy request.

Once you have completed the application form, you will need to come in to the office with the form and 100 points of identification, which are listed on the front of the application.

When we have fully processed the application and advised the Landlord of the response, we will contact you to notify you of whether you have been approved or declined.

Once your application has been approved, the Property Manager will contact you by phone to advise you of your acceptance. A time will then be arranged for you to come into the office to sign the lease.

After signing the Residential Tenancy Lease Agreement, you will be given a copy of it for your own records. Bond lodgement is completed online which will be explained to you during sign up.

Upon the release of keys, we will ask you to sign a document to verify the amount of keys/remote control you were given.

Within 7 days of receiving your keys, you will be given two copies of a document called a Property Condition Report.

Ensure you spend sufficient time to examine the report carefully. Take note of little things, such as: cleanliness issues, condition of garden and any fixtures or fittings that are damaged. The more detailed you make your initial report, the easier it will be for you when you leave.

SO HOW DO YOU FIND A PROPERTY?

ATTENDING OPEN HOUSE INSPECTIONS

PAY ATTENTION TO OPEN HOUSE INSPECTIONS

COMPLETING APPLICATION FORM

APPLICATION APPROVED

AFTER SIGNING

It’s important to check that all appliances are in good working order. If they are not, make a note of this and also report it to your Property Manager.

You will need to return a copy of this report along with any notes within 7 days of receiving it. Any discrepancies or relevant repairs will then be reviewed.

If you do not return the report, the office copy will be used as a true record of the condition of the property when you vacate.

Your rental bond will be lodged with the Bond Administrator at the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. The bond is held by them as security against damage, undue wear and tear or cleaning after you vacate.

Be sure to protect your bond, by leaving your property in the same condition as when you first took up occupancy. Once you leave, we as the Managing Agent will inspect the property and compare the condition at the end of your tenancy with the condition it was in at the beginning. Except for fair wear and tear, you will be made responsible for any cleaning, outstanding rent or damage.

Your bond is equal to 4 weeks rent. If you’re paying $400 per week, then your bond is $1600 – so make sure to leave your property looking good so your bond can be returned.

If you have a pet(s), you are required to pay a pet bond of $260, which can only be used for fumigation at the end of your tenancy.

When you signed your Residential Tenancy Agreement, you undertook the responsibility of paying your rent on time & in advance at all times. If for some reason you are going to be late, you should contact your Property Manager and let them know immediately.

Please also note that constant arrears in a Tenant’s record do not look good for future rental opportunities. We would not be able to give a Tenant who is always in Arrears a good reference if they ever needed one.

It is the tenant’s responsibility to report any faults. You may know that the oven has stopped working, but unless someone reports this fact, no one will know it needs fixing. Don’t be shy in reporting any maintenance requirements. Having things fixed at no cost to you is one of the privileges of being a Tenant. A good landlord and their Property Manager will also appreciate knowing if something needs doing.

Our website has a “Maintenance Request” link under the Renting Tab that will allow you to report the need for a repair - please complete our Maintenance Request Form online and forward to our Agency.

You may also make your report via an email to your Property Manager, report the fault to the office by phone or simply come in to the office and complete a fault report in writing.

It is your responsibility as the Tenant to ensure you have contents insurance for your own possessions against theft or damage. By law, the Landlord is not liable for your loss or damage to any items.

RENTAL BOND

RENTAL PAYMENTS AND RENT ARREARS

REPAIRS

INSURANCE