Guide to Renting with 1st Agency
We value quality tenants and believe in supporting them wholeheartedly.
We are pleased to provide this guide for current and future tenants, to help ensure your tenancy term with our agency is as smooth as possible.
1. Applying for a rental property
2. Bond Payment
3. Paying your Rent
4. Locks & Keys
5. Services
6. Inspections and Condition Reports
7. Repairs & Maintenance Requests
8. Emergency Repairs after hours
9. Termination of the Tenancy Agreement
10. Contact Us
Applying for a rental property
Once you have made the decision, you will need to complete a Tenancy Application. This may be downloaded online or you can contact our office on 9328 5567 and we will be sure to supply you with one.
For your application to be processed, you must answer all questions and provide us clear copies of identification for verification purposes only. This could include:
• A current drivers license
• An ATM or debit card
• A credit card or Medicare card
• A bill addressed to you at your current address
In order to complete the Tenancy Application, you will also be required to provide us with the following supporting documentation:
• Rental ledger: from your current Managing Agent showing a history of your rental payments or receipts if renting in a private institution
• Account/Invoice with your current address: e.g. Phone/Mobile, electricity, credit card, bank account, rates notice
• Evidence of income: the last two current pay slips or letter from employer. If you are self employed, a letter from your accountant or your last tax return.
• References: a written rental reference and any other written references
Please note, the payment when signing your lease is to be paid by way of bank cheque or money order only. Cash rent payments will not be accepted by 1st Agency.
Once you have submitted your application, your references will be confirmed and the acceptance of your application will be subject to the landlord’s approval.
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Bond Payment
Your rental bond will be lodged with the NSW Department of Fair Trading and held during the term of the Tenancy Agreement by the Rental Bond Board.
The bond is held as security against any damage or undue wear and tear.
The maximum rental bond that can be asked for is:
• 4 weeks rent, for unfurnished premises
• Unlimited for fully furnished premises above $250per week.
The Bond is not accessible to either party (Tenant or Landlord) during a tenancy agreement.
THE BOND MUST NOT BE USED BY THE TENANT TO PAY RENT
The Bond may only be released in part or in full:
• By the tenant to the Landlord
• By the Landlord to the tenant
• By an uncontested application for the release of the bond
In the case of a contested application, by an order of the Consumer Trade & Tenancy Tribunal.
The release of bond monies will only take place at the end of a tenancy agreement after inspection by the Landlord (or the agent on behalf of the Landlord) and the Landlord (or their agent) is satisfied with the condition and cleanliness of the premises. The tenant is obliged under Clause 34 of the Tenancy Agreement to advise the Landlord (or their agent) of a forwarding address on vacating the premises.
At 1st Agency, we aim to refund promptly the Bond promptly after you vacate, provided the property is left in as close as possible the same condition as when the Residential Tenancy Agreement commenced (allowing for fair wear and tear) and there are no monies owing.
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Paying Your Rent
All rent is due monthly in advance.
LATE PAYMENTS OF RENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
The calendar monthly figure is calculated by dividing the weekly rent by 7 to obtain the daily rate. We then multiply this by 365 days per year to get the yearly rental. Then we divide by 12 to get equal monthly payments.
When you decide to vacate the property the final rent is calculated on a daily basis up to the day you actually vacate the premises and keys are returned.
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Locks & Keys
A duplicate key is retained by 1st Agency for emergency access.
If you happen to lock yourself out please contact 1st Agency. If it is during business hours, we are more than happy to provide you with the spare key to enable you access. This must be returned on the same day.
If you lock yourself out after business hours or on weekends, you will have to get a locksmith out at your own cost to let yourself in. If keys are lost and unable to be found, the replacement of the barrels is at the tenants cost and copies of the new keys must be supplied to 1st Agency.
It would be therefore advisable, that you also make private arrangements regarding the location of a spare key, should you inadvertently lock yourself out.
Locks may only be changed, after first obtaining permission from 1st Agency or the Landlord, and then on the strict understanding that you supply us with a spare set of keys. Remember, it is in your interests to ensure that we have access.
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Services
It is each tenant’s responsibility to have the appropriate account placed in his or her name(s) and then to arrange to have a meter reading, prior to vacating the premises.
The following are the contact numbers for these authorities:
• Telstra 132 200
• Energy Australia 131 535
• AGL Gas 131 766
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Inspections and Condition Reports
Inspections during your Tenancy
Regular inspections of the property you are renting are carried out to advise the landlord of how the property is being maintained and to keep them informed of any maintenance required. We respect the privacy of our tenants; the inspections that you can anticipate during your tenancy are detailed below. This will also give you an opportunity to meet with our Property Managers to bring to their attention any maintenance required on the home.
The Initial Inspection
Upon the commencement of your tenancy, we will undertake an inspection detailing room by room the current condition of the home. You will then have the opportunity to review this condition report, add any items you feel are necessary to it and return to our office within seven business days. It is important and in your best interest to read the report carefully and provide us with an comments within the time frame provided on the report, as your Property Manager will refer back to this report at the end of your tenancy.
Period Inspections
During your tenancy, we will issue you with a written notice of period inspections of your property. Inspections are carried out six months from your tenancy start date and every six months thereafter.
Moving out Inspection
At the end of your lease term or upon vacating, your Property Manager will complete a thorough and final inspection, of which they will use the initial inspection report as a reference. The moving out inspection report is to ensure that there has been no damage to the property, beyond normal wear and wear, and ensure that no fixtures or fittings have been removed from the property.
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Repairs & Maintenance Requests
All repairs are to be put in writing, using the Repair Request forms available from the office or on our website or via email or fax. Verbal repairs requests will not be action.
Only emergency repairs will be accepted verbally. All repairs are attended to as promptly as possible, however, it is often necessary to obtain the Landlord’s approval and/or quotes before any work can commence, so unfortunately a time lag is sometimes unavoidable.
If firm arrangements regarding access for any tradespeople are not kept by you, the service charge for calling the tradesperson will be automatically passed on to you for payment.
Where applicable, the upkeep of the gardens and grounds are your responsibility. Please do not store unnecessary paper, rubbish, bottles, cans, etc. on or around the premises.
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Emergency Repairs after hours
An urgent repair is when something breaks that may make the premises unfit to live in or cause a potential safety risk or interrupt access to water, gas or electricity supplies. If the premises needs urgent repairs, tell the landlord or agent immediately. Terms in relation to urgent repairs are listed in your tenancy agreement.
The landlord or agent is then obliged to organise urgent repairs as sson as reasonably possible. If you are unable to contact the agent, you can arrange to have the urgent repair fixed and spend up to $1,000 doing so. Your tenancy agreement will have tradespeople listed that you could use.
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Termination of the Tenancy Agreement
Your Residential Tenancy Agreement is a legal and binding contract, providing protection for both you and the Landlord.
You can terminate the Residential Tenancy Agreement in the following ways:
• If you intend to vacate at the end of your Residential Tenancy Agreement you are required to give fourteen (14) days written notice prior to the expiry of the fixed term of your Agreement.
• Once the fixed term has expired, you are at liberty to continue living at the property or to vacate. If you intend to vacate, written notice to that effect must be received by our office at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the vacating date.
• If the landlord wants to sell the premises, you may be asked to vacate the premises by the time the sale is finalised. The landlord must give you at least thirty (30) days written notice (after the contract of sale have been entered into). This only applies after the fixed term has ended
If however, unforseen circumstance arise and you have to vacate prior to the expiration of your Residential Tenancy Agreement, please contact your Property Manager immediately and we will endeavour to find another suitable tenant.
However, you will still be responsible for the rent until another suitable tenant is found, as well as the payment of a letting fee, an Agreement preparation fee and all advertising costs. It is best to give as much notice as possible in writing. Breaking an agreement can be costly.
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Contact Us
Please feel free to contact the office on 9328 5567 or email aisha@1stagency.com.au
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