Information for Residential Tenants
Rental Applications
We are happy to receive applications by fax or email if you can not call our office. We will endeavour to have a decision regarding each application within three working days, sooner if you are the approved applicant.
Please provide photocopies of items requested at the top of the application, but we don’t need a book, just a few items listed. Please remember you compete with other applicants, so a good rent ledger and savings accounts will help.
Maintenance Repairs
All repairs are reported to the owner of the property. In some cases, they will want to do the repair themselves; however, for most repairs, we will have a tradesman contact you the next working day to book an appointment to do the repair. If you have not heard within three working days, phone the office as there may be an issue that needs following up.
Please let us know if it is an urgent repair, ie. There is no power to the fridge, sparking power points, no water, leaking running water, or a running toilet.
Most other repairs are considered non-urgent. All repairs should be booked in to be done Monday – Friday; if you wish for times on the weekend or after 4:30 pm, you may need to pay for the penalty rates of the tradesman. This will need to be discussed with your Property Manager.
Routine Inspections
As our Property Managers work Monday – Friday, we will need to book your inspections during the tenancy on a weekday. You will not be required to be there in person; a friend or family member could attend to show us through.
Remember, this is always a good time to go over any minor repairs and to discuss your payment history, as your manager will bring a copy of your rental ledger.
Arrears + Water Usage
No one likes arrears - including tenants as they will be visible on your rental ledger and may affect your next rental property or home loan application. We highly recommend that you are always a whole week in advance. e.g. if you pay fortnightly, please pay again on your second week of occupancy so that in the future, all payments are being made one week in advance. This will apply even if you pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly. If you do run into trouble, call your Property Manager immediately as they will be more able to explain any issues to the owner.
It should not be the Property Manager’s responsibility to send frequent reminders that the rent is in arrears. Instead, it is the tenant’s responsibility to advise the Property Manager if they can not make their regular payment or catch up with a payment/s.
We will endeavour to be environmentally conscious and send an SMS when necessary. This includes water usage accounts. The SMS for water usage will consist of the reading, which you can check on the water meter in the front yard where most are located, as well as the usage in kilolitres for that quarter, the amount that is due and the payment deadline (which is 21 days from the issue date).
Example: 50kl – 2475kl – 20/11 – 20/03
$62.50 – Due by 10/04
Please remember to pay ASAP; if water remains unpaid for an additional 14 days, this may result in your Property Manager having to issue a termination notice.
We realise that it is easy for tenants to change their mobile numbers and forget to tell us, so we recommend writing on your calendar every three months that a water bill should be due. Then, if you have changed your number or dropped your phone in the river, it would not be a drama as the bill will not become overdue.
Rent Increases
Rent is adjusted from time to time based on the market conditions, and we will forward a letter giving you 60 days notice of any changes being made. We will also include a rent pay form, if you cannot change your payment amount over the internet, you can always drop the form into the office, and we will update your direct debit on your behalf.
Vacating Inspections
When you decide it is time to move, we always recommend you chat with your Property Manager to discuss the best way to get everything organised.
The first step is to lodge your 21 days notice to vacate in writing. Please ring to confirm receipt if you are doing this by fax or email.
We will forward a confirmation letter that will include a copy of your original condition report just in case you cannot find your copy. It is always recommended that you have the home as clean and tidy as possible, so there is no need for this to be a sticking point with us returning your bond.
