TENANTS TIPS & GUIDES

Tenants Tips & Guides

We have prepared a guide to answer some common questions our tenants ask. We encourage all our tenants to have a read through to help understand tenancy obligations.

Cleaning Guide

General Cleaning
It is expected that tenants keep the property clean, and this is also a requirement of the tenancy agreement. Pay particular attention to:

• Walls, switches, power points, skirting, doors and doorways – please keep these free from marks and dirty hand prints.
• Dust and cobwebs – please clean cobwebs or dust on windows, walls and ceilings. Regularly dust vents, light fitting and ceiling fans.
• Blinds and curtains – keep clean, dusted and (if suitable) dry clean curtains and netting when required.
• Windows, screens and window sills – keep regularly cleaned and dusted.
• Floors – please keep floors clean by regularly sweeping and mopping. Floors in the kitchen and wet areas may need to be scrubbed to keep surfaces clean.
• Ventilation – please ensure all rooms are kept adequately ventilated to avoid problems associated with moisture, which can cause mould and health problems.
• Grout and tiles in wet areas – please ensure all tiles are kept free from grime, mould and calcium build up.
• Clothes dryer – please ensure the vent is cleaned on a regular basis.

Carpet Cleaning
All carpets need to be kept clean during a tenancy and it is recommended that carpets are professionally cleaned during your tenancy. We do not recommend the use of ‘do-it-yourself’ hire machines as some of these machines do not adequately remove moisture and can cause damage.

It is a requirement of your tenancy agreement to have carpets cleaned to a professional standard when vacating.

Repairs and Maintenance

General Repairs
We insist that all repair requests are lodged in writing. You can lodge written repair requests through your Tenant Portal or by filling out the form given to you at the commencement of your tenancy – you can also download the maintenance request form from our Tenants Forms & Documents page. Once completed, you can lodge your maintenance requests by email, post or in person.

Emergency Repairs
Emergency items are those that could cause injury to a tenant, have a serious impact to a tenancy or can cause further damage to the property. these may include:

• Broken or burst water pipes
• Blocked or broken toilet (if a second toilet is not available)
• Serious roof leak
• Gas leak
• Electrical fault such as dangerous power point, loose live wire etc
• Flooding, storm damage, fire or impact damage
• Failure of gas, electricity or water supply to the premises
• Failure of  an  essential service  or appliance  on  the  premises for  water or cooking
• Hot water failure (this should only be considered an after hours emergency if this occurs on a weekend or long weekend)
• Fault or damage that makes premises unsafe or insecure
• Any other situation that is likely to injure, cause damage or cause extreme inconvenience to a person

Please contact us immediately if you have any emergency repairs.

After hour emergencies
Should an emergency repair be required after hours then you need to text the problem to 0405 502 776.

Misplaced keys
If you have misplaced your keys during business hours you may contact our office to retrieve the spare set. If you misplace your keys after hours, you will need to contact a locksmith to assist you back into the property (this is at the tenants expense).

WARNING! Most modern window flyscreens can only be removed from the inside of the property and attempting to remove them from the outside will result in damage. If flyscreens are damaged, they will be replaced at the tenants expense.

Property damage
If property damage has occurred, you are obligated to let us know immediately, or on the next business day if occurring on a weekend or public holiday.

Noise or disruption
Care must be taken to ensure you do not infringe or disrupt your neighbours with noise. Noise such as loud music or parties can disrupt a neighbours right to peace and quiet enjoyment of their residence.

In units and apartments, particular care must be taken with respect to noise due to the close proximity of other properties. This also includes your obligation to ensure your visitors are not disrupting neighbours.

Air conditioners
Filters and intake vents need to be regularly cleaned to ensure there is no build-up of dirt or dust. Please note that if a fault occurs which is deemed to be caused by filters or vents not being kept clean, the costs to rectify the damage may be charged to the tenant.

Smoke alarms
If you believe for any reason that smoke alarms installed at your property are not working or the batteries are not functioning, let us know immediately.

Inspection Guidelines

Routine inspections
We conduct routine inspections at the property approximately every 3 months. The purpose is to provide a report to the owner about the condition of the property, and also to check for any maintenance or repairs so we can provide recommendations to the owner.

Photos
Routine inspections involve taking photos showing the condition of the property and any damage or repairs required. This involves taking photos inside the property as well as the gardens and yard areas.

What we look for at inspections:

Inside the property

• Walls, light switches, doorways and doors are clean from marks
• The carpets are clean, undamaged and stain free
• The windows and screens are clean
• The kitchen area is clean and the oven/stove top is free of burnt on food and carbon staining
• Shower, bathroom, toilet and laundry tiles and grouting are clean
• All areas and rooms are fully accessible (not locked)
• No other damage apart from reasonable wear and tear

Outside the property

• The lawns are maintained (includes cutting and edging)
• Gardens are tidy and presentable (includes weeding)
• There is no collection of rubbish (such as lawn clippings)
• No unregistered car bodies on the property
• No oil stains in carports, garages or driveways
• All areas are accessible (not locked)
• Swimming pool or spa is clean and maintained

If you have an approved pet

• Droppings are removed
• Any pet damage or rubbish scattered is repaired and cleaned up
• Dogs must be properly restrained at the time of inspection

Renters Contents Insurance

It is crucial that you have your own contents insurance!

It is important to note that should your possessions be damaged or destroyed by circumstances affecting the owner’s property (i.e. fire, storm damage, power outages etc) your possessions are not insured by the owner.

Example One: An electrical fault in the building starts a fire and the property is destroyed.

Example Two: You are away on holidays and the power cuts out due to an electrical fault in the building. Your return home to find your fridge/freezer goods spoilt.

Example Three: A storm blows a tree onto the house and in the process, your belongings are damaged.

In all the cases the landlords insurance will not cover your damages. It is important that renters maintain their own contents insurance policy. Please contact your insurer for specific details on your insurance and what they cover.