Renting Information

We at Lawson Real Estate Specialist understand that sometimes law, rules and regulations can become quite confusing, particularly when people are renting properties for the first time. We have produced this information guide to provide a simple and clear understanding of the rights and responsibilities you have in the occupation of your new dwelling.

Paying Rent
The Residential Tenancies Act states that the responsibility of the tenant is to pay rent to the landlord/agent. To make our office safer we prefer to keep minimal cash on premises so we ask that rent is paid fortnightly, either by direct debit, Bpay, internet transfer or pay direct at Bank SA. This saves you the inconvenience and risk of carrying around a large amount of cash and prevents against late rental payments as our office has a zero tolerance to rent arrears.

Rent is always payable in advance on or before the due date as stated in your tenancy agreement. Kindly note, we do not accept responsibility for cash, keys or cheques left at our office out of business hours.

Security Deposit Payment
All our properties require a security deposit or bond to be paid prior to the lease commencing. For properties priced $800 a week and below, the bond is 4 weeks rent and for properties priced $801 a week and above, the bond is 6 weeks rent. All bonds are forwarded to the Residential Tenancies Branch and are held in trust until the end of the tenancy. At the end of the tenancy, the bond is then released provided that all money owed is paid and subject to the final inspection.

Security Deposit Protection

We make every endeavour to let out properties in a clean and tidy condition, and to make properties attractive to you, we request that landlords do their utmost to present the property in its best condition. In accordance with your lease agreement, the property must be maintained and kept in a fit and proper condition. It is therefore expected that the property will be left in the same condition as you found it. We carry out thorough condition reports at the time of leasing and again at the expiration of the lease, therefore, it is vitally important that the contents of the condition report are agreed upon before you move into the property.

Over many years of property management experience, we have noticed that there have been several areas that have been neglected, so to ensure that your security deposit is refunded to you in full at the expiration of the lease, particular attention should be taken to areas such as kitchen bench tops, cupboards and sinks, bathroom and kitchen tiles both floors and walls, if applicable, oven griller and hotplates, exhaust fans where installed above stoves and in bathrooms and carpet is to be clean.

We do not under any circumstances give your phone number out without your authority.

Summary
We trust that your tenancy in your new property will be a happy one. Lawson Real Estate Specialist would like one day to see you as a home owner and encourage you to save a deposit for that day.

If at any time throughout your stay in the property you would like to discuss home ownership, please contact our sales division. We will be only too pleased to explain fully the steps.

Lawson Real Estate Specialist takes this opportunity of thanking you for choosing to rent through our office. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist in any way.

Gardens
Under the terms of your lease agreement, the gardens at both the front and rear of the property are to be maintained and kept in the same condition as found and regular maintenance and watering of the gardens is expected at all times.

As part of the condition report, we do take photos at the commencement of the lease. If the gardens are not maintained to their original condition, a claim can be made against the bond.

We believe that it is best to notify you now regarding what is expected in relation to both internal cleaning of the home and the external maintenance of the gardens, to ensure that at the expiration of your lease, your bond will be returned to you in full.

Carpets
Marks and stains on carpets must be removed before serious damage occurs to the carpets themselves. If necessary, a professional carpet cleaner should be engaged. If you are not sure how to remove a particular stain, please call us for assistance as we have access to professional carpet cleaners who do an excellent job at a reasonable rate.

Picture/Photo Hanging
We appreciate people like to make their new residence feel like home and may wish to hang photographs and paintings. We insist, however, that before any hooks are hammered into walls that you contact us so we can get permission for you from the landlord.

Permission is not unreasonably withheld in most cases, however, it is not permitted without the written approval from the landlord or the agent. Likewise, upon your vacating the property, the tenancy agreement states that you must return it to the same condition as you found it, therefore, it is expected that you will repair all marks to walls and any hook or screw holes.

“Blue Tac” must not under any circumstances be put on walls, doors etc!

Repairs
In accordance with your lease agreement, any damage, malfunction or problem should be reported immediately to our office. All maintenance requests are required by the tenant in writing. We request that you report your maintenance issue via your PropertyMe Tenant Portal. CLICK HERE TO LOGIN / Alternatively, we recommend you download the PropertyMe app on your mobile device's app store. Once completed, IF THE MATTER IS URGENT, PLEASE CALL 0437 884 801 OR 08 8683 0466 IF UNSUCCESSFUL.

If necessary, an inspection will be carried out promptly, and the matter reported to the landlord for the appropriate action. If it is an urgent repair, we then have the right to have that repair carried out immediately.

Our company will always act on a problem as soon as possible. For your information however, sometimes, it can take time to locate landlords and to obtain their authorisation to carry out repairs and then appoint an available tradesperson.

This is not a delay that we try to prolong, we action the problem and give it our attention as soon as possible.

Pets
In accordance with your tenancy agreement, pets are not allowed unless you have the written consent of the landlord or his/her agent. It is not our policy to hinder people who have pets from leasing properties.

Landlords will consider pets, provided they have been given adequate notice and that the pets are housed outside the dwelling at all times.

If you are considering getting a pet after taking a lease agreement, please contact our office first so we can get the approval of the landlord or otherwise.

Regular Inspections
Our company carries out regular inspections on the property and written notice is given to you when this is to occur. Our endeavours are to make sure you are happy and answer any complaints that you may have, therefore, we believe that it is a good idea if you are able to be home when we carry out these inspections - however, if you cannot make the inspection time, our Property Manager inspects the property in your absence and contact you if they have any concerns.

As we inspect other properties in the same area on the same day as inspecting yours, we ask that the day and time of your inspection is not changed.

How to give notice of intention to vacate

Provided your lease is due to expire, notification must be given in writing and it must be in accordance with the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act - i.e. 28 days notice. If for any reason you need to further discuss your intention to vacate, please contact our Property Manager to discuss the matter before you action your notice.

Handing in of keys when vacating
The handing in of keys signifies the legal termination of your tenancy. Please remember you are liable for additional rent in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act if:

1. You do not return the keys prior to 5.00 pm on the day you vacate
2. You inadvertently keep the keys
3. You lock the keys inside the vacated premises and have not advised us.

Change of Locks
At vacating, if any locks have to be changed because the keys are not handed in, the cost of such lock changes are to be borne by you.

It is also always a good idea, to count how many keys you received when you moved in to the home to make sure that the same amount of keys are returned to us at the time of your departure.

Car Parking
Cars are only to be parked in the designated areas and not on front nature strips or lawn areas.

Electricity, Gas & Telephone
It is your responsibility to have the gas, electricity and telephone connected in your name and to have the account finalised when you vacate.  Move Me In can help you with all your utilities

Change of Phone Numbers
If for any reason you have a change of telephone number i.e., change of employment or change of home number, it is vitally important that you pass on your new telephone numbers to us.

In case of emergency, if we do not have the correct phone numbers it is impossible to contact you.

 Stay up to date with PropertyMe App/Website – Tenant Online Portal

Tenants: Create new and track status of maintenance requests, see upcoming events/inspections, access receipts, rental/tenancy information and more.