Guide to renting

First things first

We suggest that you familiarise yourself with the home hunting process and the tools available to streamline the process. Having the necessary documentation organised and ready to go will greatly increase your chances of finding your new home.

Each agent may use a different application platform. Some common platforms are 2 Apply and Ignite. We use the 2 Apply platform in our office, utilising it’s automation process helping us get you an approval within 48 hours. application process to save you time and money. You may be required to sign up to the platform in order to submit your application.

If you are unable to use the 2 Apply platform, we can send you a printable form to fill out instead.

Searching for your new home

Before you begin your search, it is important to think about your needs and what you need or want from your new home. It is going to be just that, your new home, so you need to find a property that suits your requirements. Write down what it is that you’re looking for. This will only take a minute or two but it will potentially save you hours of looking at properties that are not right for you!

Once you know what you’re looking for, you can search for suitable properties on our website or any of the major portals we use to advertise: Realestate.com.au, Domain.com.au, Allhomes.com.au, Homely.com.au and REIQ.com

Once you have found a suitable property, we require you to inspect it before you make an application. We do this to make sure that the property is right for you. You can have someone view our properties on your behalf if, for any reason, you are unable to do so.

Booking an inspection

Booking an inspection is easy – you can use our online booking system (you’ll find a link to our booking system in each of our property advertisements) any time of the day or night.

To book an inspection using our online booking system, simply follow the directions in our listings. You will be sent an email or SMS (depending on your preference) confirming the date and time of your inspection.

You can also book an inspection by sending us an email or giving us a call!

Lodging your application

Once you have found a suitable property and attended an inspection, you should have a really good idea of whether the property will suit your needs – most of the hard work is now done! All you need to do is submit an application.

If you have already subscribed to 2 Apply, submitting your application is easy! Upon attending one of our open homes, we will send you a link via sms and email to start your application.

Along with your application form, you will need to provide:

100 points of identification
- driver’s licence: 50 points
- passport: 50 points
- birth certificate: 50 points
- medicare card: 25 points
- bank/credit card: 25 points
- phone/elec account: 25 points

Basic personal details (name, address, contact number etc)
Alternate contact details
Rental history and references
Personal and professional references
Employment details (including employer contact) or proof of income
Last two pay slips
Letter of parental support
Bank statement showing savings or regular income

What do we do with your application

Once we have received your application, we apply the following process. We believe that our client care starts from our very first contact with you and includes how we process your application – we are fair, we apply the same process to every application, every time:

We check that you have completed your application in full and provided all of the necessary supporting documentation – if not we will ask you to give us further information and/or documents
We check your identification (to ensure you have supplied us with 100 points) and we cross-check it against your application to identify you
We look at your income to make sure that you, and anyone else applying with you, can afford the rent
We contact your employer to verify your employment and income details
We review your references and rental history details – we may contact your previous property manager(s) to check verify your rental history
We check your rental history against a rental database to verify the details you have provided
Once we have completed each of the above steps we contact the landlord, who makes the final decision on your application
Once the landlord has made a final decision, we will contact the successful applicant to advise them of acceptance of their application and to arrange a time to sign the lease and pay their first two weeks rent and bond
Once a lease has been signed we will notify all unsuccessful applicants

How long does it take?

If your application is complete and you provide all necessary documentation at the time of submitting your application, we commit to process your application within 2 business days of receipt – we want to get you into your new home as quickly as possible!!

Signing your new lease

Once your application has been accepted, we will advise you by phone and arrange a time for you to meet with us to sign your new lease. You will need to meet with us, sign your new lease and make your initial payments (see the next section) within 1 to 2 business days of approval.

At your signing appointment, there are lots of things we need to talk about so please allow at least 45 minutes. We will carefully explain the terms of the lease to you, explain the bond lodgement procedure, explain how you can gain access to your online tenant portal, explain the procedure for emergency repairs and help you to set up your rent payments. We will explain to you that RE Rentals has a zero tolerance for late rent payment.

At your signing appointment, we will give you the following documents, which you should read carefully:

Pocket guide for tenants – houses and units
Signed Tenancy Agreement
Pool Safety Certificate (if applicable)
Entry Condition Report
Rent receipt (for your first two week’s rent in advance)
Body Corporate by-laws (if applicable)
Keys (if applicable)

You should use your signing appointment to ask us any questions about any of the above documents.

How much do I need to pay?

On signing your new lease, you will be required to pay 2 weeks rent in advance and a rental bond, which is usually the equivalent of 4 week’s rent.

How is my bond dealt with?

You will be required to pay a rental bond (which is usually the equivalent of 4 week’s rent). Your rental bond will be held by the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA), for the duration of your tenancy. Your landlord will be entitled to claim against the rental bond for things like unpaid rent, damage to the property and cleaning if the property is not left in a clean and tidy on vacation.

Your rental bond will be lodged with the RTA shortly after we receive your payment. You will receive a bond receipt, confirming lodgement of your bond with the RTA.

When do I get the keys?

If your tenancy commences on the day of your signup meeting, we will give you keys to your new home at your signup meeting.

If your tenancy commences on a day after your signup meeting, we will make arrangements for you to collect the keys to your new home on the day your tenancy commences.

If you are renting your new home on your own, we will give you one full set of keys to the property. If there are additional named tenants, we will only give each additional named tenant keys sufficient to secure entry to the premises (including any boom gate etc necessary to secure access to the premises).

Utility Connection

You must ensure that electricity, gas, telephone and internet are connected to your new home, in your name. We will advise you which services you need to connect at the property upon signing the lease.

We can help you to get your utilities connected via a service partner Move Me In.

Water

You may be asked to pay certain water charges for your new home if it is individually metered, is water efficient and your Tenancy Agreement states that you must pay for water consumption. The RTA provides a useful fact sheet which explains how water can be charged.

Entry Condition Report

Your Entry Condition Report is an important document as it is a complete record of the condition of your new home and its contents at the commencement of your tenancy. You must complete and return the Entry Condition Report to us within 7 days of the start date of your tenancy (the commencement date on the front of your Tenancy Agreement).

If you do not return your Entry Condition Report within 7 days of the start date of your tenancy our original inspection will be used for comparison at the end of your tenancy, whether you agree with our original inspection or not. We always strive to accurately capture the condition of the property at the commencement of tenancy, but we are only human and minor things can be overlooked. It is crucial that you have your opportunity to agree or disagree with the condition of the property. When you vacate the property, the entry condition report is used as a reference to how the property must be returned.

Contents Insurance

You should be aware that if your possessions are damaged or destroyed by an event effecting the landlord’s property (for example, fire, cyclone, storm, power outage) then your possessions are not insured as part of the landlord’s insurance.

You must take out your own appropriate insurance to cover your possessions stored at the property during your tenancy.

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