Needing a Rental?

Know your rights as a tenant
Before deciding to rent a property there are a few rules and regulations that you need to take into consideration. A Residential Tenancy Agreement or ‘lease’ will be drawn up and is the legal contract that both you and your landlord must abide by.

A lease should include information such as;
• Location of the property
• Total rent
• Amount of the bond
• Commencement and end date of your tenancy
• The landlords’ name

Lease/tenancy agreements differ between states, so please make sure you have the documentation from your appropriate state.

Tip: Never sign a blank form, if you do not understand something, then contact the correct establishments and ask for advice.

Know your responsibilities when renting
When renting, little problems can turn into big problems if you are not aware of who is responsible for taking care of the issues that may arise.

As a tenant you are obliged to do the following:
• Keep the property clean
• Not cause damage to the premises
• Inform the landlord asap if any damage is done
• Ask for the landlords permission to install fixtures or make alterations, renovations etc
• Avoid causing a nuisance to the landlord or neighbours
• Do not participate in anything illegal on the property

The landlord is obliged to:

• Keep the premises in good repair
• Ensure the security of the property by making sure all doors have locks and windows are secure
• Immediately provide the tenant with a key after changing any locks
• Avoid disturbing the tenant unnecessarily

Once you have signed a lease / tenancy agreement and paid a bond you should be provided with a Condition Report. This report records the condition of the property. Check this report carefully and immediately discuss any issues you may have with the landlord.

Tip: Photographs are a great way to record the condition of the property when you first move in. Keep these incase the landlord objects about returning your bond at the end of your tenancy.

OFFICE HOURS
Chapman Proeprtyis located at 336 Hunter Street, Newcastle and office hours are as follows:
Monday to Friday- 8:30am to 5:00pm

RENTAL PAYMENTS
Our tenants pay their rent using the Macquarie Bank DEFT system- this is done over the phone, internet, direct debit or by cheque. When you commence your tenancy, you are required to pay two weeks rent in advance and it is requested that your rent continue to be in advance throughout your tenancy. If you are unable to make a rent payment or it will be late, please advise your Property Manager so they are aware of the situation.

RENTAL ARREARS
Your rental payment history may be a major factor in any future credit applications so it is important that your rent remain up to date as failure to do so will result in all arrears being recorded on your tenant ledger. Should you fall fifteen days in arrears, you will be issued with a Termination Notice immediately.

ROUTINE INSPECTIONS
Within two months of signing your lease, the Property Manager will carry out an inspection to check that you have settled in and discuss any problems. Further inspections will then be carried out approximately every six months to ensure the property is in good condition and to address any repairs or maintenance issues.

RENTAL BOND
Upon the signing of your lease, you will pay a bond amount that will be lodged with the Rental Bond Board. This bond will be refunded once you vacate the property providing the premises are left in the same condition as at the commencement of your lease (as close as possible) and there is no damage or monies owing.

PETS
No pets of any kind are allowed on the premises unless permission has been granted by the landlord. This also includes vistors pets. Should a pet be allowed, you will be required to have the property sprayed for fleas inside and out by a licensed Pest Control Company upon vacating.

CONNECTING YOUR UTILITIES
It is the tenants responsibility to arrange connection of the telephone, electricity and gas in your name prior to moving in. To help you in doing this, we can organise all connections for you free of charge through a company called Utility One. All you need to do is simply tick the box on your application form and Utility One will contact you to organise this.

INSURANCE
We strongly urge tenants to insure all household contents as landlords insurance will not cover any damage, loss or theft to tenants belongings.

REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE
When requiring repairs to the property, you must first contact your Property Manager. They will then organise for a tradesperson to attend to the problem. Should you have an urgent repair after office hours, you will need to contact the appropriate tradesman as listed on the bottom of your Residential Tenancy Agreement and they will be able to help you.

KEYS TO YOUR PROPERTY
Our office retains a duplicate set of keys as given to you for access to the property in an emergency, repairs or a Routine Inspections (with your approval). Should you require our office set of keys in an emergency, they may be collected from our office providing identification is produced and the keys returned within twenty four hours. If you want to change the locks, you must obtain permission from the Landlord and provide our office with a copy of the keys.