Info For Tenants
Important Tenancy Information
Thank you for selecting Swan Real Estate for your tenancy. The following information is designed as a quick reference guide to our services and covers some important aspects of your tenancy.
1. Office Hours, Enquiries and Advice
2. Tenancy Law
3. Rental Payments
4. Repairs and Maintenance
5. Repair Tips
6. Keys
7. Insurance
8. Inspections
9. Utilities Connection
10. Rental Bond
11. Termination of the Tenancy Agreement
12. Leaving the Premises
1. Office Hours, Enquiries and Advice
If you require any information or advice regarding your tenancy please contact our office.
Our preferred method of contact is via e-mail, however we can also be contacted via post, fax or telephone. Wherever possible, requests and enquiries should be submitted in writing.
Please also be aware that your Property Manager spends a large portion of their working day away from the office. If you wish to meet with any of the Property Management Team it will be necessary to make an appointment to do so.
Office Hours: Mon to Fri 8:30AM to 5:00PM
2. Tenancy Law
Residential tenancies are a highly legislated area of real estate and are governed by the Residential Tenancies Act. You will have been provided with a copy of your Tenancy Agreement, Entry Condition Report and the information pack containing the RTA booklet (Form 17a). We urge you to take the time to read them as they contain information about your legal rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Your Entry Condition Report is one of the most valuable documents provided and it is imperativethat this is completed and returned within three days of the commencement of your tenancy. Your Entry Condition Report will be used at your final inspection and assists with any future Bond disputes.
3. Rental Payments
All rent payments must be made via the RE Connect oneCard*, by Bank Cheque** or via Automated Periodic Payment***.
* RE Connect oneCard enables you to conveniently and securely pay your rent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, internet, automatic direct debit, BPAY or POSTbillpay in-person). Terms and conditions apply.
** Bank Cheques should be made out to “Swan Real Estate Trust Account”.
*** Automated Periodic Payment; an automatic rent transfer from your financial institution or employer, or via your internet banking facility. Our office will provide banking details upon request.
Please note that our office cannot accept rent payments in CASH.
You are also required to pay your rent 2 weeks in advance in accordance with your Residential Tenancy Agreement.
Failure to pay your rent may result in your tenancy being terminated in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act, and may also result in your details being listed on one or more tenancy history databases.
If at any time you are unable to make a rental payment on or before the due date please notify our office immediately.
Your Rental Ledger – A complete history of your rental payments
One of the most valuable things you can have at the end of your tenancy is a Rental Ledger that shows your rent has always been paid on time. The Rental Ledger is a complete statement of every payment you make and the dates that the rent covers… it also shows if your rent has ever fallen behind. When it comes to applying for your next property, a good ledger will be extremely beneficial.
4. Repairs and Maintenance
Repair requests can be submitted via telephone on (07) 3805 2848 or in writing or via the Maintenance Request section of our website, via emailrentals@swanrealestate.com.au or in person at our office. Please provide a detailed description of the repair item and try to be flexible with access arrangements for tradespeople.
Only ‘Urgent Repair’ requests may be submitted via telephone on (07) 3805 2848 or 0424 220 381. Urgent repairs include the following items:
• A burst water service;
• An appliance, fitting or fixture that uses water or is used to supply water that is broken or not functioning properly, so that a substantial amount of water is wasted;
• A blocked or broken toilet;
• A serious roof leak;
• A gas leak;
• A dangerous electrical fault;
• Flooding or serious flood damage;
• Serious storm or fire damage;
• A failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply to the premises;
• A failure or breakdown of any essential service on the premises for hot water, cooking, heating, cooling or laundering;
• Any fault or damage that causes the premises to be unsafe or not secure.
Please refer to Clause 30 of your Tenancy Agreement for further information about ‘Emergency Repairs’.
Whilst we will endeavour to action your repair as quickly as possible, it is often necessary to obtain the Landlords approval and/or quotes before any work can commence, so unfortunately a time lag is sometimes unavoidable.
Once approval has been granted, you will be contacted directly by the tradesperson to arrange a suitable time to carry out the repair. Alternatively you may wish to give the tradesperson permission to access your property using the keys held by our office.
Please do not put additional picture hooks/nails etc into walls without prior approval from our office in writing. In addition, if any marks remain after blue/yellow tac has been used, the tenant will be held responsible for any repairs.
5. Tenant Repair Tips
Before proceeding with logging your Repair Request, please have a look at the Repair Tips below first, to avoid any unnecessary call outs.
No power
Have you contacted your electricity supplier? There may be a fault in the street.
If renting a unit/apartment – Have you checked with a neighbour? If in a block of Strata Title apartments, it may be the Owners Corporation that needs to be contacted for action.
Have you checked your fuse box? There may have been an overload and the safety switch has been activated and needs resetting.
Have you checked that one of your appliances is not faulty? Unplug all appliances in the house. Reset the safety switch in the meter box. Plug in the fridge and turn on the power point, check the safety switch. If the safety switch clicks off then you know that there is a fault with the fridge and you will need to get it repaired.
Otherwise disconnect the fridge and plug in the stereo and continue checking all appliances until the faulty appliance is located. If our electrician attends to your repair request and finds the fault is with one of your appliances, then you will be charged for the service fee.
No hot water
Is it Gas or Electric?
Have you arranged for the connection of your Gas or Electricity?
If it is an Electric Hot Water System – Have you checked to see if your hot water system needs refilling/topping up? There is normally a copper valve on electric hot water systems and an overflow pipe. Pull up this lever until a flow of water starts coming out of the overflow pipe. This quite commonly needs to be carried out every six months or so.
Have you checked the fuse in the meter box? Has someone turned off the fuse by mistake?
Have you checked that the water tap on the hot water system itself is turned on?
If it is a Gas Hot Water System – Have you checked to see if your pilot light has gone out? Some gas hot water systems can be easily relit – others may require a tradesperson.
Lights are not working or power points are not working
Have you checked your fuse box? If there has been an overload the safety switch may need resetting.
Have you replaced the light bulb?
Stove element is not working
Have you checked the connections to make sure they are not loose or dirty?
Is the stove turned on at the isolation switch? There is often a switch on the wall near the stove that must be turned on.
Is the clock on the stove/oven set? Many stoves will not operate if it has not been set. Set the clock before trying again.
Garbage disposal is not working
Is it turned on at the switch underneath the sink?
Have you attempted to reset the safety switch? This is normally a little red or black button underneath the bottom of the garbage disposal unit. You may have to get on your hands and knees to find the switch. This switch can be activated by an overload and simply needs to be reset.
Is there a blockage in the sink/blades? IMPORTANT – Before putting hands down the sink to check for blockages – make sure unit is turned off at the wall and unplugged.
Kitchen/bathroom sink is blocked
Have you tried using some Draino to try and free the blockage?
Have you tried pouring boiling water down the sink to free up old soap & hair?
Have you cleared hairs and old soap from the waste & “u” bend? Put a bucket under the pipe, unscrew the pipe under the sink (where possible) remove the hair and old soap and re-screw the pipe back together. Pour boiling water down the drain, this should clear the blockage.
Have you removed old food from the kitchen waste & poured boiling water down the drain? Do not put fat and oil into the drain as these will clog up the pipes.
6. Keys
A duplicate key to all properties is retained by our office for emergency access. Under special circumstances, and on producing photo identification, the keys can be borrowed during office hours but must be returned within 24 hours. We require a deposit of $50.00, which is refunded to you on return of the keys.
Please note: This service is not available out of office hours or on public holidays.
It is therefore advisable that you make arrangements regarding the location of a spare key should you inadvertently lock yourself out. Otherwise it will be your responsibility to contact a locksmith to arrange access.
Locks may be changed after first obtaining written permission from our office under the strict understanding that you provide us with a spare set of keys.
7. Insurance
For your own protection, we suggest that you take out your own Personal Contents Insurance Policy to cover your personal effects and furniture against any loss, damage or theft.
8. Inspections
The purpose of inspections is to advise the landlord of the condition of their property and how it is being maintained. You are however requested to advise our office of any repairs or maintenance you feel is needed as soon as possible throughout the tenancy.
9. Periodic Inspections
During the course of your tenancy, the premises will be inspected periodically by Swan Real Estate after providing you with the required written notice. The first inspection will usually be 8 – 12 weeks after you move into the premises, and thereafter on a 3 – 6 monthly basis.
10. Final Inspection
Final inspections are conducted at the end of the lease term or upon vacating. The final inspection report is closely checked with the condition report completed during the initial inspection to ensure that there has been no damage (beyond normal wear and tear) and that no fixtures have been removed (e.g. light fittings).
11. Utilities Connection (Electricity, Gas, Telephone, Broadband, Pay TV)
It is each tenant’s responsibility to have the appropriate account placed in their names and to arrange for connection and disconnection.
We provide a free utilities connection service via DirectConnect which provides quick and easy connection with your choice of service providers. Please contact our office if you would like to take advantage of the DirectConnect service.
If you require any of these services and they are not currently available at you property, you will need to obtain written permission from our office prior to connections being made.
12. Rental Bond
Your rental bond will be lodged with the RTA (Residential Tenancies Authority). The bond is held as security against any damage or undue wear and tear.
The bond will be refunded 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.
13. Termination of the Tenancy Agreement
If you wish to give notice to vacate, you must do so in writing.
The Residential Tenancy Agreement can be terminated in the following ways:
a) When the fixed term period of the agreement is due to run out, you must give a minimum of 14 days written notice to end the tenancy. The landlord must give you a minimum of 60 days written notice.
b) Once the fixed term period has ended you are required to give at least 14 days written notice. The landlord must give you at least 60 days written notice.
c) If there is a breach of the tenancy agreement, a written notice period of 14 days.
d) 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 30 days written notice & this only applies after the fixed term has ended.
Please refer to your copy of the RTA ‘Renting A House or Unit In Qld’ (Form 17a) for further information.
12. Leaving the Premises
It is your responsibility to leave the premises as near as possible in the same condition, fair wear and tear excepted, as set out in the original condition report.
Please refer to the ‘Vacating Information’ section of our website, or the Pre Vacate checklist supplied to you at the time we receive your Form 13, Notice of Intention to Leave for further information and a list of items that you should check prior to vacating the property. Please also note that the rent will be due and payable until all necessary cleaning and repairs have been completed and all keys have been returned.
If you would like the assistance of contract cleaners or gardeners, your Property Manager can supply contact details or arrange for the work to be done on your behalf.