0413 504 084
md@realmgmt.com.au
Quick Links
- Tenancy Application Form
- Sample Lease
- Pocket Guide for Tenants (RTA Form 17)
- Notice of Intention to Leave (RTA Form 13)
- Maintenance Request Form
- Regular Cleaning Guide
- Professional Cleaning Guide
- Schedule of Fees (payable by tenant)
- Tenants Acknowledgement Form
Application Process
If you see a property advertised you may be interested in renting, please attend one of the open for inspections or book a viewing time. If you would like to proceed an application form along with the RTA’s Pocket Guide for Tenants Renting in Queensland (Form 17) will be emailed to you. Please complete and fill out and email back along with copies of your supporting documentation (Eg. pay slips, 100pts of ID, etc). Under the Act there are only 2 criteria a rental application can be judged on; your ability to pay the rent and your ability to maintain the property. If your application is not approved, please do not ask why as the Landlord does not tell us. If your application is approved, you will need to pay your first 2 weeks rent to secure the property (take it off the market) and your full bond before your lease commencement date. Please take due care when inspecting properties prior to applying as we are starting to see a rise in “renters’ remorse”, a phenomenon where tenants move in and then decide they’re not happy with the place or simply don’t like it and think they can make unreasonable requests of the Landlord to improve the property or let them out of their lease without compensation or reduce the rent, as if the contract they entered into meant nothing. Doesn’t work like that.
During Your Tenancy
There are a number of terms and conditions all parties to the lease must abide by. The main ones, for Landlords, are to maintain the premise and ensure essential services are provided to the property. For tenants, it is to pay the rent, maintain the property in the condition they received it, and report any damage or maintenance issues in a timely manner. Routine inspections are conducted every 3 months. A Lessor/Agent cannot tell a Tenant how to live, for example untidy or messy clothes/belongings, choice of furniture, etc. However, when it comes to cleaning, if regular cleaning is not carried out then damage can start to occur, and this is why it is important to regularly clean your property as dirt/dust/grime build up can lead to corrosion and staining of fixtures, fittings and surfaces. As a rule of thumb and simply good practice, it is recommended that Tenants do make an effort to clean up and have things presented neat and tidy so the report presents well for the Landlord and also to allow the Agent to do their job of inspecting the physical premise in a timely and efficient manner.
At The End Of Your Tenancy
99% of the properties we lease have been cleaned to a professional standard prior to letting. The standard a property is handed over at the start of a tenancy is recorded in the Entry Condition Report which is accompanied by date and time stamped photos. After living in the property it is expected there will be some wear and tear and that is normal. The Act states the Tenants must return the property in the same condition they received it less fair wear and tear. So in most cases, this means it will need to be cleaned to a professional standard. The Act does not require a tenant to use a ‘professional’ anything. They can clean themselves, they clean the carpets themselves, they can carry out pest control themselves, etc. However, in the majority of cases where the Tenants have elected to clean themselves, it is seldom up to spec and often they have had to go back numerous times and/or even get a professional in anyway. There is a reason professional cleaning is a huge industry, because it is a lot of hard work. We have a number of contractors we have personally used and can recommend if you do require help returning the property in a suitable state to hand back at the end of your tenancy.
Water Billing
Provided the property is individually metered and has a water compliance certificate, and the lease states the Tenant must pay for water usage, this is the process for how water billing is done:
- Start reading is taken from water meter at beginning of tenancy, recorded on entry condition report
- During periodic inspections conducted every 3 months, interim readings are taken from the water meter
- Water usage is calculated from the two meter readings and invoiced accordingly at the applicable rate
- The applicable rate is published on the water supplier’s website – Eg. Google Urban Utilities Prices & Charges
- Charges payable by the Tenant are the i) State Gov. Bulk Water charge & ii) Tiered Consumption
- End of tenancy a final water meter reading is taken and invoiced accordingly and/or deducted from bond
Rent Arrears
We have a zero-tolerance policy for rent arrears. It doesn’t matter why it has occurred, all that matters is it is rectified as this is a serious breach of the tenancy agreement. A largely mechanical process is in place to deal with rent arrears and it goes as follows:
- Days’ 1 to 7 of Arrears: Reminders are sent to the named parties on the lease by email, txt, hand delivery, call.
- Day 8 of Arrears: Form 11 Notice to Remedy Breach is issued, Tenants are given 7 days to remedy.
- Day after the Form 11 has expired: Form 12 Notice to Leave is issued, Tenants are given 7 days to vacate.
- Day after the Form 12 has expired: An Urgent QCAT application is made for a Termination Order & Warrant of Possession, and a TICA warning letter is issued giving 2 weeks’ notice advising the Tenant they have to repay money owing otherwise they will be black listed on a tenancy database.
- QCAT hearing happens, if the lease is terminated a warrant of possession is issued, Police then contact the Tenants to give notice of an eviction and when they will attend to exercise the warrant.
- Post-eviction, an exit condition report is completed with date and time stamped photos taken as evidence, bond refund process run, damage report compiled/etc if applicable. Any insurance claims are lodged, loss assessors attend to evaluate damage, loss of rent, etc. If a claim is paid out, the insurer then hands the debt off to their collections Agent who follow up with the Tenants.
Emergency Repairs Procedure
If you have an emergency repair as outlined below, please contact our office immediately on 0413 504 084 and after contacting our office also please follow your report with an email of the same to md@realmgmt.com.au.
Section 30(1) of the Form 18a Standard Terms states that Emergency Repairs are:
- a burst water service or a serious water service leak
- a blocked or broken lavatory system
- a serious roof leak
- a gas leak
- a dangerous electrical fault
- flooding or serious flood damage
- serious storm, fire or impact damage
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the premises
- a failure or breakdown of any essential service or appliance on premises for hot water, cooking or heating
- a fault or damage that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
- a fault or damage likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a tenant of premises, and
- a serious fault in a staircase, lift or other common area of premises that unduly inconveniences a tenant in gaining access to, or using, the premises.
Call only in an emergency and If you are unable to reach the office
Locksmith – Brett’s Locksmiths on 07 3361 0510 or Lock2Lock Locksmiths on 0406 332 554
Plumber – RTL Trades on 1300 000 785 or Gary Hannaford Plumbing on 0418 787 334
Gas Technician - Buchanan Plumbing & Gas on 0422 677 904 or Ross V Plumbing on 0414 920 549
Electrician - Mayo's on 0401 669 900 or Electec Electrical on 0408 086 861
Builder/Handyman – Mayo's on 0401 669 900
Smoke Alarm Repairs/Maintenance – Smoke Alarm Solutions on 1300 852 301 or an Electrician listed above
Bad Landlords
We do not make excuses for bad landlords. Unfortunately, from time-to-time some Landlords may choose not to effect or attend to repairs and maintenance. We believe respect goes both ways with our Tenants, and in the event a Landlord has instructed us they will not be attending to something we believe they are obligated to under the Act (and have advised them accordingly), we will simply let you know this and all we can suggest is you may wish to seek guidance from the RTA by calling them on 1300 366 311. As an Agent we act for the Lessor and must follow their instructions; it is not our property.
Improvements
How you receive the property at the start of your tenancy should be the same in every way as when you viewed the property, unless otherwise agreed. In this regard, the Lessor is under no obligation to agree to any requests for improvements to be made to the property during your tenancy, and if they will consider it, usually it would be in return for a slight increase in rent as the amenity to the property would increase. Common examples of improvement requests are adding fly screens, additional security measures such as flood lights, screens or bars on windows, CCTV, etc., air conditioning, ceiling fans, fencing and gates, so on and so forth. All these things cost money. Generally, if the property doesn’t already have it, it’s because the Lessor has chosen not to spend their money on it, and they’ve appointed the Agent to rent the property “as is” at the time of viewing. Please do not contact our office “demanding” that the Lessor install this or change that. If you do want to request improvements, it is best to “ask” and also provide a compensation plan such as “if the Lessor would consider installing air conditioning I would be happy to pay an extra $10 per week in rent”.