Property Management
Thank you for considering Holdsworth Real Estate to manage your investment property.
It can be a busy and confusing time when leasing out your property. To help you through this process we've compiled this list of frequently asked questions.
Preparing Your Property for Rent
Marketing Your Home
Before you even hand the keys over, we will have a
marketing plan drawn up for your property. This will generally take the form of
online advertising on the following websites:
Colour PDF brochures will be sent out to our corporate and relocation contacts, so that we can offer “first dibs” to them.
Your property will be shown to prospective tenants by private appointment and general home open.
We will liaise with you regularly to advise you of web and email enquiry traffic and inspection numbers.
- www.holdsworth.com.au
- www.realestate.com.au
- www.domain.com.au
Colour PDF brochures will be sent out to our corporate and relocation contacts, so that we can offer “first dibs” to them.
Your property will be shown to prospective tenants by private appointment and general home open.
We will liaise with you regularly to advise you of web and email enquiry traffic and inspection numbers.
Professional Photography
Photographing your property is part of our service.
However, if you would like your property professionally photographed, we can
arrange this for you at cost. These photographs will be yours to keep.
Newspaper Advertising and For Lease Signs
As online advertising is now the
most cost effective and preferred form of advertising, it is not standard for us to
advertise your property in the newspaper. If you still prefer to advertise in print,
we can arrange this at cost. Most strata companies will not allow For Lease signs
to be erected on site. However, if your property is freestanding, or we have the
permission of the strata company, we can arrange this for you at cost.
Printed Advertising Material
In addition to digital brochures, prepared and
distributed free of charge, we can arrange for colour DL flyers to be produced and
distributed at cost.
Processing Applications
All applications received will be processed by your
Property Manager, and then forwarded to you for your consideration and ultimate
approval. Tenants will be checked on a national Tenancy Database for prior rental
defaults.
Keys and Remotes
It is important that we have at least 2 complete set of keys and
any swipe cards for the property – 1 set for us and 1-2 sets for the tenant, depending
on the number of occupants. Tenants are responsible for the cost of replacing any
lost keys, swipes or remotes, and for ensuring that remote batteries are replaced
when necessary. Please advise if you would like us to arrange copies of keys to be
cut and swipes and remotes to be purchased from the strata company.
Cleaning and Repairs
It is important that the property is cleaned to a professional
standard, including carpets, prior to renting. The condition in the property is handed
over to new tenants is the condition in which it must be left by them when they
vacate. We can arrange cleaning for you.
Pets
Let your Property Manager know if you will accept any pets at the property, so
that we can include this information in our advertising.
Exclusions
If you wish to include or exclude specific items which may not otherwise
be clear, please let us know. For example, if you want to keep your own items in
the store room, and keep it locked and out of bounds, we must advise prospective
tenants at the home of inspecting the home. Or if you intend to leave items of
furniture, again, we must advise this from the beginning.
Landlord Insurance
We advise all our clients to take out Landlord Insurance. Please
find attached brochures from two preferred insurers for your consideration. We will
arrange this for you, just let us know.
Disconnecting Utilities and Reading the Water Meter
If you have lived in the home, please make sure you disconnect any utilities that
are in your name. We will arrange a water meter reading for the property if it is
individually metered.
Handy Telephone Numbers
- Alinta Gas: 13 13 58
- Synergy: 13 13 53
- Telstra: 13 22 00
- Optus: 1800 696 683
Smoking
Due to damage that can be caused to furnishings, carpets, curtains and
paintwork, our policy is that no smoking is permitted inside the property.
The Property Is Rented - What Happens Next?
Lease Documents
We will prepare all lease documentation for the tenant to sign,
lodge the tenants’ bond with the Bond Administrator, and send you a copy of the
Lease.
Property Condition Reports
It is imperative that a thorough Property Condition
Report is prepared prior to the start of the tenancy, and handed to the tenants
before they move in. We have attached an excerpt from a “PCR” showing you the
detail that is involved. Detailed colour photographs also accompany this report.
This important document protects both the landlord and the tenant, and is used
to compare the ingoing and outgoing condition of the home at the Final Bond
Inspection.
When will you get paid?
We can only demand 2 weeks rent at the start of a new
tenancy, although many tenants may elect to pay additional rent in advance, or to
pay their rent calendar monthly. From these funds we will deduct management
fees, any leasing fee, advertising charges, property condition report fees, etc,
and then pay the net amount to you at the end of the first month. If you require
payment bi-monthly please let us know.
What length of lease should you accept?
Most landlords and tenants will opt for
a 6 or 12 month lease to start with. This will vary depending on when the expiry of
this lease will fall due, and the future plans of each party. You may want to give the
tenants a 6 month “test run”, or you might want the security of tenure that comes
with a longer lease. We advise against accepting a lease that will fall due for expiry
during a “dead period” such as over Christmas. An 11 month or 13 month lease may
be the best option in this situation.
Routine Inspections
6 to 8 weeks after your tenant moves in, we will carry out the
first Routine Inspection. At this inspection, we will check that the tenant has settled
in and is maintaining the property to our standards. A thorough report, such as the
report attached, including colour photographs, will be forwarded to you by email. If
we need to reinspect for any reason, we will provide a 2nd report to you, at no extra
charge.
The rent is late – now what?
A termination can be sent if the tenants are 2 days
behind with rental payments. If they fail to bring rent up to date, we will liaise with
you to discuss the best course of action.
If You Are Transferring Over an Already Tenanted Property
Documents and Keys
Once you have advised the outgoing agent that management
is being transferred to Holdsworth Real Estate, we will contact them and arrange to
transfer over any documents and keys we need.
Routine Inspection
If a Routine Inspection hasn’t recently been carried out
by the former agent, we suggest that we conduct one soon after we take over
management, to allow us to familiarise ourselves with the tenants and the property.
Maintenance
Maintenance Issues
Tenants are required to contact us within 72 hours of maintenance arising.
Depending on the instructions in your Management Authority, we will either contact
you for further instructions, or carry out the maintenance within the expense limit
specified in your instructions. You will be advised of any maintenance arranged on
your behalf, and will receive a copy of the invoice.
Emergency Maintenance
On rare occasions, emergency maintenance may be arranged for your property.
We will endeavour to contact you in this instance or as soon after as practicable,
however, the Residential Tenancies Act (1987) overrides Item 5 of the authority.
What is an Emergency?
- Blocked toilet if there is only one toilet in the premises
- No Electricity
- Fire / Flooding
What is NOT an Emergency?
- Stove/Oven not working
- Any general repair
- Hot water fluctuating in temperature
- Reticulation not working
- Leaking taps
- Pest control
Renewing or Ending a Tenancy
Before the Lease End
Prior to the expiry of the lease, we will contact the tenant and landlord to discuss
future plans. At this point, if the tenancy is going to continue, a rent review will be
discussed and agreed upon. Lease documents will be signed and a copy forwarded
to you for your records.
Vacating
If a tenant advises they are vacating, we will discuss with you a new rental price and
commence marketing your property to minimise vacancy.
Final Bond
A Final Bond Inspection will be carried out once the tenant vacates. At this point,
any cleaning or repairs (if by fault of tenants) will be undertaken, and deducted from
the tenants’ bond.
Questions?
Your Property Manager is your first point of contact for any questions or correspondence – please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email.
To arrange for a meeting with our Property Manager please contact us.
