Entry Condition Report
Please ensure that you complete and return your signed copy of your Entry Condition Report back to our agency within 7 business days of the tenancy start date. Our Entry Condition Reports are now completed online to allow for easy completion – speak to your Tenant Manager if you have any queries on this. If this is not returned within the 7 days, please be aware that the original inspection report conducted by our agency will be accepted as final and will be used for end of tenancy vacate comparison.
Contact details – always need to be up to date
It is your responsibility to ensure that any changes to your contact details (phone, email etc.) during the tenancy are promptly supplied to our office.
Connection of utilities – water, internet, electricity
Tenants are responsible for charges in respect of the re-connection and consumption of water, electricity, gas and telephone where the rented premises are separately metered for these services. Please refer to your lease agreement for full details. There are specialised connections companies that assist renters free of charge to arrange all required connections, talk to your Tenant Manager for more information.
Contents insurance
It is your responsibility to take out insurance for your own personal belongings – commonly known as “Renters Insurance” – such policies can easily be compared and purchased through online websites.
Giving notice to vacate – End of Lease
The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 is explicit about how a tenancy ends. It can only occur when one of the parties to the tenancy agreement gives notice to the other. If you want to vacate the property at the end of the existing tenancy agreement, you must provide at least 14 days’ notification in writing (RTA Form 13) of your intention to vacate and specify the date that you will leave the property.
Note: Rent will be payable until the 14th day or until you remove all your possessions from the property and return the keys to our office.
Final Exit Inspection
Rent will be charged until the day the keys are returned. Please allow 2 business days for a final Exit Condition report to be conducted.
Lease break.
Under allowable circumstances, a lease can be broken. There are financial compensation penalties involved with this. The tenant is ultimately responsible for the lease until a new and approved resident is found to occupy the same property. A lease break fee and the cost of advertising/marketing are commonly charged to tenants. Please refer to your lease and Tenant Manager for further information.
Bond return/claim
Your property manager will provide you with a Bond Claim Form, which will need to be fully completed and signed by all tenants who signed the original Bond Lodgement form. As long as there are no issues with the property, you will usually be able to obtain your full bond refund from the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) within 5 days of returning the signed Bond Claim form to our office. If a claim is required, your Tenant Manager will correspond with you on this matter.
*This bond process can now also be completed online through the RTA website.
General maintenance and repairs
At the start of your tenancy, your Tenant Manager will provide you with instructions on how they would like to receive any general Maintenance/Repair requests for your rental property. If you’re unsure about the process, we recommend you contact your property manager. It is paramount that all tenant requests for repairs MUST be in writing, including email or lodging directly on our website.
Keys
Should you wish to copy any keys, please contact your Tenant Manager to be advised of the process as approval to do so is required. It is important to note that when your tenancy finishes you will need to return all keys given to you at the start of your tenancy and any additional copies created during your tenancy period.
Misplaced keys:
We understand that sometimes this happens – you can’t seem to find your keys, they have been left behind or even locked inside. We are happy to help, but Simplly Rentals does not guarantee that a spare set of keys to your property will always be available. If a set is available and you wish to borrow these keys from our office to gain access to your property, a security deposit may be required until they are returned. If you have misplaced your keys after hours, you may call a locksmith to assist you back into the property – this is at your cost.
Make sure you let Australia Post know of your move and redirect your mail. Don’t forget to contact financial organisations, road departments and other important bodies to let them know of your change of address. Please also update your delivery/courier address details with online buying sites such as Amazon, eBay etc.
No smoking policy
All Simplly Rentals properties have a strict ‘no smoking inside’ condition within the lease. Renters will be responsible for cleaning and deodorising the inside of the property to eliminate all smoke odours. This can be a costly exercise and any expense for cleaning walls, carpets, curtains, blinds due to renters smoking inside will be charged to the tenant.
Noise/Disruption
It is important to note that the utmost care must be taken to ensure that you do not infringe on disrupting your neighbours with noise. Loud music, parties or otherwise can disrupt a neighbours’ right to peace, and the quiet enjoyment of their residence. In the case of units and apartments, particular care must be taken with respect to noise due to the close proximity of other properties, usually located on the other side of the wall. Tenants should also ensure that their visitors are not disrupting neighbours when walking from your premises to their vehicles.
Parking
At no time should cars or any type of vehicle be parked on any lawns, gardens or any area not created for, or designated as a vehicle parking area, unless authorised otherwise in your tenancy agreement. Damage to lawns and landscaping can be costly and will be charged to the tenants.
Pets
Unless a pet is specifically noted on your current tenancy agreement, you must seek approval from the Owner before bringing any pet to the property. In the first instance, an RTA Form 21 is required to be completed by the tenant. This can also vary if living in units or apartments where Body Corporate bylaws are effective.
Rental arrears
As a tenant, a critical obligation is to pay the full amount of the due rent on time. Please refer to your tenancy agreement for the correct details of the correct payment due date.
Simplly Rentals has a zero-tolerance policy on rental arrears. However, we always recommend you speak to your assigned Tenant Manager to discuss openly your rental payment situation to allow us to advise and help you. Ultimately, you may be served with a Notice to Vacate if you fall into arrears and have failed to contact your Tenant Manager.
Routine Inspections
Simplly Rentals conducts a routine inspection at rental properties after the first 3 months of your tenancy then approximately every 4 months thereafter.
The main purpose of this inspection is to provide a report to the property owner regarding the overall condition of the property, to highlight any maintenance/repair items both current and future preventative items as well. Further, it provides a summary of how you are maintaining the property as well.
Repair types – Emergency / Routine
It is important to know the difference between an emergency or routine repairs. Getting this wrong may be costly to the tenant if an unauthorised repair is conducted after hours!
Emergency items are generally those that could cause injury to a person or damage to the property, and may include:
- a burst water service or a serious water service leak
- a blocked or broken toilet
- a serious roof leak
- a gas leak
- a dangerous electrical fault
- flooding or serious flood damage
- serious storm, fire or impact damage
- a failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
- a failure or breakdown of an essential service or appliance on the premises for hot water, cooking or heating
- a fault or damage that makes the premises unsafe or insecure (this includes smoke alarms)
- a fault or damage likely to injure a person, damage property or unduly inconvenience a tenant
- a serious fault in a staircase, lift or other common area of the premises that unduly inconveniences a tenant in gaining access to, or using, the premises
- minimum housing standards – only effective once minimum housing standards apply to the property. Minimum housing standards came into effect for new tenancies (including renewed tenancy agreements) from 1 September 2023 and commenced for all remaining tenancies on 1 September 2024.
This can be a complicated issue and requires detailed review – for information on emergency/non urgent repairs, please visit: https://www.rta.qld.gov.au/during-a-tenancy/maintenance-and-repairs/emergency-repairs
RTA
Please visit the RTA website, whereby you can find more detailed information relevant to your tenancy; https://www.rta.qld.gov.au/
Thank You
And finally, we trust you enjoy your new rental property, and it becomes a highly cherished ‘home’ for you. Your Tenant Manager is easily contactable, and we encourage you to reach out to them when required – they are here to help.