Services in Detail

Tenant Selection

We draw applicants through a number of initiatives:

  • “For Rent” signage on your property
  • A comprehensive rental list in our office and our Window Display
  • Our presence on the internet, including our company web site houseestateagents.com.au,
    www.realestate.com.au,
    www.domain.com.au,
    www.homehound.com.au
    and a host of other web sites also.
  • Our reputation and strong community relationship

Following a guided inspection of your property (we do not hand out keys) all
applicants must complete a Tenancy Application Form including details of previous rental history, current employment, 100 points of identification, current circumstances and other personal details about their family, etc.

We check all applicants with the Tenancy Information Centre of Australia (T.I.C.A) for any previous defaults and their referees are phoned / faxed. Whilst reference checks cannot guarantee a good tenant, they do assist us to discover habitual defaulters.

Selection Criteria includes the following

  • Positive identification
  • TICA Clearance
  • Tenant History
  • Suitability to a particular property
  • Ability to Pay

The greatest care is taken to ensure that the most suited tenant is matched to your property. Whilst we are unable to discriminate against race, religion, marital status, gender, etc.

We cannot predict what may happen in tenants’ lives during the tenancy. There may be occasions when your tenant falls into arrears with rent. Whilst this is monitored regularly, we recommend to those owners with properties mortgaged that a minimum of two weeks rent be kept in their account as a safety measure to ensure that mortgage payments can be met. We also recommend Landlord Protection Insurance for added “peace of mind”.

Repairs and Maintenance

There will be times when general repairs and maintenance are required. Items such as tap washers, stove elements (even light bulbs) are the responsibility of the owner to replace although the tenant does have a responsibility to care for your property and not cause excessive wear and tear.

We are very conscious of recent court decisions against owners and their managing agents wherein negligence has been proven for failure to carry out repairs. Where this failure has resulted in the death or disability of a person entering the property, large sums have been awarded by way of compensation.

To minimize the risk of this, we engage only professional tradesmen who carry
Public Liability Insurance. We are happy to use tradesmen of your choice, if preferred, provided they have similar insurance.

Should you choose to carry out your own repairs, it is necessary to disclose your name and telephone number on the tenancy agreement in the event the tenant needs to report maintenance “after hours”.

You can elect to be consulted on all necessary repairs prior to any work being carried out or you can give us the authority to carry out routine maintenance / repairs up to an amount specified by you.

Minor and major renovations can be quoted on, and supervised by us, with as much or as little involvement by you as you wish.

The Tenancy Agreement and Bond

The tenants must sign an RTA General Tenancies Agreement, setting out the
specific terms of the tenancy. They will receive a copy of the essential terms and conditions to the agreement, along with the RTA Information Booklet (in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act 1994). As your agent, we shall sign the General Tenancies Agreement on your behalf and forward a copy to you for your records.

We shall inspect the property and complete a comprehensive Condition Report, which is signed by both parties.

The maximum bond we are permitted to charge is an amount equivalent to Four (4) weeks rent, which will be collected from the tenants, along with the first two weeks rent, prior to handing over keys. The bond will then be lodged by us with the RTA(Residential Tenancies Authority).

Payments to the Owner

Options for payment of rent collected are:

  • Deposited into your nominated bank account as “cleared funds”
  • Paid by way of trust account cheque directly to you
  • Paid monthly and / or fortnightly

Outgoings and Expenses

All expenses relating to your property can be paid by us directly from rent
proceeds, as instructed by you. These expenses include:

  • Invoices for repairs and maintenance
  • Council rates and water usage
  • Body Corporate Fees
  • Insurance

Inspections

We conduct routine inspections every three months on the property, which you are more than welcome to attend. This ensures that the property is being looked after and any maintenance issues are kept up to date. A written report is sent to you for your records to keep you aware of the state of your property.

Rent Increases

The rental value of your property is reviewed on each inspection. The increases are based on current market values and normally take place upon lease renewal. When ever the rent is to be increased, we will firstly discuss our recommendations with you to ensure that we are acting in your best interests at all times

Property Management Statements

Each month you will receive a statement itemizing all income and expenditure, payments to you, and a summary of transactions. Any invoices or receipts for expenditure will be attached for your records.

Financial Year Statement

At the completion of each financial year, you will receive a Property Management Statement for the full 12-month period, itemizing all income and expenditure and summarizing all transactions.

Rental Arrears

This does not occur often, but when it does, do you know the laws relating to
tenant eviction? Don’t worry, we do! We review rental arrears daily and always act swiftly to protect your home and keep your investment safe.