APPLYING FOR A RENTAL PROPERTY IN NOWRA & THE SHOALHAVEN
How do I apply for a rental property with Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate?
If you’ve found a property you’re interested in, you’ll need to contact our Professionals Property Management department. Our Property Manager will then organise for you to inspect the property. On the day of inspection, our Property Manager will accompany you, allowing you to view the property and answer any questions you may have.
If after the inspection you’d like to apply for the property, our Property Manager will provide you with an application form. This will include detailed information such as your current address and previous rental history, your employment details and personal references. This information is necessary for us to verify your identity, to ascertain your suitability as a tenant, and in the case of approval, manage the tenancy.
If more than one applicant is applying for the property, each applicant will need to complete an individual form. All applicants must be over the age of 18.
At Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate all properties must be viewed prior to applying.
What information needs to be supplied with my application?
In addition to your completed application form, you’re required to provide 100 points of identification. These points are used to verify your identity and are made up of the following:
• (40 points) Driver’s license or passport
• (30 points) Birth certificate or other form of photo identification
• (20 points) Medicare card, credit card, current wage advice, previous tenancy reference or previous two rent receipts
• (10 points) Motor vehicle registration certificate, bank statement, telephone accounts, electricity account or gas account
Will my pets be accepted?
Pets may be considered on application, however as it’s at the owner’s discretion, it’s worth checking whether a property is pet-friendly prior to applying. This will save you time if the property you’re applying for does not accept pets.
Under no circumstances should you apply for a property without declaring any pets that will reside at the property with you. This is considered a breach of contract and can result in your being evicted.
If you’re application is accepted allowing a pet reside at the premise, there will be a specific clause in your agreement regarding this. It is preferred you organise a pest spray at the end of your lease.
How do you select the successful applicant?
Our Property Management team will begin processing applications once all information has been supplied. Please be aware that if your application is missing or applicants have yet to supply their individual forms, your application won’t be processed until all everything has been supplied.
Once processed and evaluated by our office, your application will be forwarded to the landlord, who then makes the final decision of who the successful applicant is.
When will I find out if I’ve been successful?
When a completed application is received it will generally be processed within two working days. In most cases it will take less time than this, however on rare occasions, it may take longer.
Will I be contacted if unsuccessful?
At Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate we contact all applicants regardless of whether they’ve been successful or not.
YOU’VE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR A RENTAL PROPERTY
I’ve been accepted, what now?
Congratulations on your successful application. Our Property Manager will contact you to organise a time for you to come in and sign the lease agreement. You’ll be required to pay a ‘holding’ fee equivalent to one week’s rent as soon as possible, which will secure the property and ensure no other applications are processed prior to your signing the lease.
If you decide not to proceed and have not yet signed the lease, but have already paid your holding fee, it’s possible you’ll may only receive a portion of what was paid. The landlord may retain the equivalent amount of how many days the property was not advertised for.
What’s a lease agreement?
A lease agreement is a legally binding agreement between you, the tenant, and the landlord. Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate act on behalf of the landlord and will be your main point of contact through the term of the lease. The lease will include detailed information such as the term of the lease, who will be residing there and all relevant conditions.
What is a bond?
When signing a lease agreement for a rental property, you’re required to pay a rental bond equivalent to four week’s rent, plus one week’s rent in advance. This is in addition to your holding fee, and is for security in case you do not follow the terms of your tenancy agreement.
When our office receives your bond, our Property Management team then lodge it with the Fair Trading Rental Board, who hold this until the end of your lease. You will receive a receipt stating the amount you have paid.
What’s an entry condition report and why is it needed?
After signing your lease agreement, you’ll be provided with an entry condition report. This records the condition of the premises at the start of the tenancy. Prior to your moving in, our Property Manager will have inspected the property, noting any damage or problems with the property on the form.
On moving in, you’ll be required to complete the tenant section of the entry condition report and return it to Professionals Clyde Poulton within seven days of moving in. It’s imperative you fill this in with as much detail as possible, as this will be used by our Property Management team at the end of your lease to determine whether the property has been left in a satisfactory condition. If you choose not to fill in the report, or forget to complete it within the required timeframe, this simply means the comments on our condition report will be used to determine the state of the property at the end of the lease.
DURING TENANCY
Maintenance problems
At Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate we understand that on occasion a maintenance issue might arise. As part of your welcome pack, you’ll receive a ‘Repair Request Form and Checklist’. Alternatively, if you’ve misplaced the form you can download it here. Simply fill in the details and supply it to our office. One of our Property Management team members will then contact you to determine the necessary course of action. Please note that we must receive written notification for all maintenance problems.
Routine property inspections
As part of your tenancy agreement, our office will conduct periodic inspections of your property. This is to ensure that all conditions regarding the lease agreement are being met, and the property is being kept in a reasonable state.
You will receive written confirmation providing a minimum of seven days’ notice for every routine inspection scheduled. Where possible, we’ll provide 14 days’ notice for your convenience. At Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate our inspections are schedule every 4.5 months.
Who conducts routine inspections?
Our routine inspections are conducted by our Property Manager. We do not require you to be present for the inspection, however if you choose to do so, please be aware that our Property Manager often has several inspections booked for the same day, so it can be difficult to set a specific time.
How is rent to be paid?
Our preferred method of payment is via transfer or direct debit into our bank account. These details are outlined in your lease. Alternatively, we will accept cash, cheque or money order.
There are a number of different methods for paying rent. You can pay directly at our office on Bridge Road, via eftpos, cash, cheque or money order. Alternatively we can provide you with the details to organise a direct transfer via your bank.
What happens if my rent is in arrears?
A good tenant will always ensure their rent is paid on time, however we understand that on rare occasions, something may happen that will delay payment. If there is any reason your rent will not be paid on time, please contact us as soon as possible to advise us of the situation.
END OF LEASE
I don’t want to extend my lease, is there anything I need to do?
When your lease agreement is due to expire and you do not wish to extend the lease you are required to provide 14 days’ notice in writing prior to the end date of the lease. Please note that the notice period does not start until our office receives your written notice. For this reason, please ensure you allow additional days to cover postal delays.
I want to leave before my lease is up
When you leave a rental property prior to the lease end date, it’s called ‘breaking the lease’. To break the lease you must provide written notice of the date you intend to leave. Any applicable fees and ongoing payments regarding this will be noted in your lease agreement. Please remember that should you decide to leave before the expiry of your lease, it is in your best interest to allow potential tenants to view the property. The sooner we find a tenant, the less fees you will incur.
What is required when I leave?
As part of your welcome pack you will have received a detailed checklist of what is required when you move out. You are responsible for ensuring the premises is cleaned to a satisfactory condition both inside and out. We are happy to provide a list of preferred cleaners on request.
You’ll also be provided with a copy of the exit condition report. This is similar to the entry condition report you will have filled in at the start of the lease. Please fill in the report providing any information of any damage to the premises since residing there.
How do I get my bond back?
At the end of you lease when you’ve vacated the property, our Property Manager will conduct an exit inspection which will determine the condition of the property. This will determine whether your full bond is refunded. Our office will then provide you with a bond refund form stipulating the amount to be refunded. When correct bank details are filled out on the form by all tenants, the refund will generally take 3-4 working days. If a cheque is issued, it can take up to 8 weeks to process. Please remember that all tenants on the lease need to sign the bond refund form.
Why has money been deducted from my bond?
Common reasons a claim may be lodged against your bond are as follows:
- You still owe rent or have unpaid water usage bills
- You broke the lease and have not paid the associated break-lease fees
- All keys haven’t been returned, resulting in the locks needing to be changed
- The property is damaged or hasn’t been left in a reasonably clean condition compared to the original entry condition report
DEFENCE CLAUSE
As the hub of one of Australia’s major Defence Force establishments, Nowra is the home to the HMAS Albatross and HMAS Creswell bases.
Here at Professionals Clyde Poulton Real Estate, we understand that at times tenants who are involved with the Defence Force will be required to relocate from the area prior to the end of their lease agreement. For this reason we have a Defence Clause available.
For further information regarding this clause, please contact our Property Management team on (02) 4421 2644, who will be happy to discuss this further.
More information regarding renting in New South Wales can be found on the following websites:
http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
http://www.tenants.org.au