Welcome to Our Agency
When moving into your new home there is so much to remember and organise. The below aims to provide assistance and useful information to be helpful during your time with us.
Tips for a Successful Tenancy
- Communicate with your property manager. Let them know if a rent payment is going to be late, damage has occurred, or something isn’t working.
- Keep a copy of your tenancy agreement, initial inspection report, rent receipts, bonds lodgement form as well as any letters or emails received. Keep these in a designated folder or file in case you need to refer to them later.
- Never stop paying your rent, even if there are issues with your tenancy. Contact your property manager to arrange a suitable payment plan.
- If the end of the tenancy is approaching and you wish to extend the current agreement, please contact your property manager as soon as possible to advise them of your interests.
Tenancy Types
- Fixed Term: Is an agreement that ends when the end date has been reached. The length of the agreement is specified at the time it is signed.
- Periodic: Is a tenancy that has passed the agreed fixed term and becomes a “month to month” agreement.
Paying Your Rent
It is your legal responsibility to pay your rent on time as it is set out in your tenancy agreement before the due date. If you have problems paying your rent, or you know there will be issues in the future, let your property manager know.
Rent Reviews: You will be given at least 60 days written notice to increase the rent. There is no limit as to how much the rent may be increased, providing that any increase is not above the market rate.
Insurances
Although the landlord is responsible for insurance relating to the property itself, they are not responsible for insurance of the tenant’s possessions.
If your belongings become damaged or destroyed by an event affecting the owner’s property such as a fire, storm damage, flooding or power outages, your possessions are not insured by the landlord.
We recommend purchasing contents insurance through any reputable insurance company.
Utilities
It is the tenant’s responsibility to ensure they have set up their utilities accounts such as gas, electricity, phone and internet. These must be under the tenant’s own name. Remember to close these accounts when vacating.
Water usage will be charged accordingly. The rental premises will be separately metered and the charges must not exceed the amount billed for water usage by the water supplier.
Routine Inspections
Routine property inspections occur not more than four times per year. These inspections are part of your Agreement and are a requirement under most landlord insurance policies. Your Property Manager is required to provide a minimum of 7 days’ notice in writing prior to any inspection.
Due to time constraints, it is not always possible to alter an inspection time, and your Property Manager is not obligated to do so. You are not required to be present for any inspections however, you are most welcome to if you wish to discuss any issues.
Occupancy
Only the people listed on the Tenancy Agreement are permitted to reside at the property on a permanent basis. If a tenant on the agreement wishes to move out you must notify the Property Manager immediately.
Of course, you are allowed to have visitors at the property. As the occupant however, you are responsible for the behaviour of the visitors at that time as well as any damage they cause.
If you would like to add someone onto the lease, speak to your Property Manager to gain written approval prior.
Important Information
It is the tenant’s responsibility to look after the property, both internally and externally. This includes the gardens and lawns.
Any damage at the property must be reported to your Property Manager immediately.
All keys should be returned at the end of your tenancy. If they are not, it is the responsibility of the tenant to replace the locks or the keys that are missing at their expense.
Connect your utilites prior to moving in, to avoid delay.