Guide to Renting

So, you are considering renting a property to live in, or run your business from? Great, this is an exciting time, but one that you will also need to put some thought into! Below are some things you should consider in order to find the best property for you, and also use your history to be successful when applying for your perfect property!

Home

1. Write a list of your prerequisites, ie
   1. How many bedrooms?
   2. How many bathrooms?
   3. Do you want a dishwasher?
   4. How many living rooms?
   5. Do you want a garden? If so, do you want to upkeep it yourself or would you like to build in a gardener to the weekly rental cost?
   6. What suburb do you want to be in?
   7. Do you want to be close to transport and amenities?

Once you have your list ready and you know what you are not willing to live without, it is time to start looking for your perfect rental home!!

2. Best places to start looking are:
   1. realestate.com.au
   2. Domain
   3. Gumtree
   4. News Paper – although this is not so popular anymore
3. Go along to an open inspection or call the agent and request a private viewing

Now that you have found your perfect rental property your job is not over!! Finding your property is often the most fun part.  Actually, being approved can be a lot more difficult and often there is a lot of competition! Why would the landlord choose you over the other 10 applicants who also want the property just as much as you do??

It is now time to start considering how you look on paper! My advice is to print off the rental application and consider the questions that are being asked!

4. Key questions to consider in the rental application:
   1. Rental History – do you have good references?
   2. Income – can you afford the property you are applying for?
   3. Bond – can you afford to pay the required bond upfront?
   4. When can you move into the property?

Did you know if you can’t afford the bond there are businesses that can assist you with this?

Wow! You have been approved and you have a date when the property is yours! Congratulations!

5. What to consider now that you have been approved for your new rental property:
   1. How will you move your furniture into your new home? Will you hire a truck or trailer, or will you pay for a professional removalist?
   2. Insurance – make sure you look into having your home contents insured, and does your insurer cover your items while in transit?
   3. Ensure you have contacted all utility companies to ensure everything is connected prior to moving in! Your agent may be able to provide you with the details of a business that can assist in the process free of charge!
   4. Ingoing Inspection – the rental agent/landlord should provide you with an Ingoing Inspection report detailing the condition of all rooms and exterior. It is very important that you pay attention here and spend some time going through this and returning this to the agent/landlord completed and signed. This may seem like a tedious task but one of the most important if you don’t want to be charged at the end of your tenancy for damage that wasn’t caused by you!!

6. Now you have settled into your new home you should consider:
   1. What happens if something breaks or you damage the property? How can you have this fixed?
   2. What are your rights and responsibilities as a tenant?
   3. Chat to your landlord about your routine inspections and what you should expect, how clean should the property be kept etc?