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Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re about to buy your first investment property or you already own several, chances are you still have a handful of questions regarding the management of your property. We’ve answered some of the more common questions we get asked below. 

If you would like to find out more about having Rental Express take care of the management of your investment property, please contact us via our Management My Propery form.

How do I change the management of my property over if it is currently being managed by another agent?
Simple! If you currently have a property managed by another agent and for any reason would like to change over to Rental Express, all you have to do is fill out our enquiry form and we will take care of the rest. If you choose to have us manage your investment property we will organise for your tenants to be notified and for the keys to be collected from your managing agent. Everything else carries on as usual. Changing your managing agent couldn’t be easier.

How long will it take to find a tenant for my property?
This is a common question and unfortunately there is no one answer. However, we can tell you that properties that are better presented, more professionally marketed, priced according to market conditions and represented by a professional agent, will be rented more quickly. At Rental Express we have among the lowest vacancy rates in the industry and generally we will have most properties rented inside only one week of being placed on our rental list.

Independent figures published by RentFind.com.au indicate that our vacancy period is approximately 50% shorter than the industry average...

Click the following link to see how Rental Express uses high-quality digital photography and descriptive advertising text in all property listings to make our properties standout from the rest. Rental Express properties currently for rent.

What happens if my tenant doesn’t pay rent?
We have invested in technology which allows us to monitor tenant arrears on a daily basis. After 4-7 days we contact tenants via telephone, email and SMS to follow up on payments. On the 8thday of arrears (the legal minimum) a Notice to Remedy Breach will be issued to the tenant giving them 7 clear days to bring the rent up to date. If rent is still not paid within this time frame a Notice to Leave will be issued to the tenant giving them seven days to vacate the property.

We will communicate with you throughout this process and a Notice to Leave will never be issued without discussing the situation with you first. It is our intention at all times to minimise any loss to the owner so these actions need to be carried out promptly.

Is an agent's location important to their ability to manage my property?
With almost 99% of all our prospective tenants using the internet to find homes online and a majority of our current tenants paying electronically, it’s clear that an agent’s location is a concern of the past. Because of this we can quickly and easily rent out properties in a very large geographic area. We can also very quickly assess rents in any given area to determine what the right amount of rent is for a particular property.

At Rental Express we manage properties in over 400 different suburbs across two states. Under our unique structure we’re able to reduce the exorbitant costs that come along with having an office in every suburb and instead focus on investing into leading technology to help us continue to provide the best property management in Australia.

What do I do if I want to sell my property?
If we currently manage your property and you are looking to sell (or even if we don't and you are looking to sell), your choice of agent is critical in ensuring you get the best price in the sale. Many of our owners live interstate or out of the area and don't have relationships with selling agents in the area that their property is located in. Fortunately we can help...

We specialise in renting properties but have a vast referral network so that we can easily put you on to the best agent to sell your home no matter what suburb it is located in. Just call us and we’ll put you in touch with the right people. Our goal is to help you get the very best return on your investment and that extends to ensuring that the best possible price is achieved when you want to sell.

If you're considering selling, click here to get a free property appraisal.

Do I need landlord’s insurance?
As with any insurance policy, it is not compulsory to have landlord insurance on your property. However, as property specialists, it’s our expert recommendation that every investment property owner has a specific landlord insurance policy in place for their property. Landlord Insurance protects you in the event of a tenant not paying rent, departing the property early or damaging the property. It also includes public liability and limited cover for contents (e.g. floor coverings, curtains).

While there are plenty of options out there, we suggest choosing very carefully. Many policies provided by the major banks are worthless! Be sure to look at how well a policy can cover unpaid rent, liability claims, damage to contents and extreme weather, and most importantly have a look at the excess conditions.

There are only a handful of specialist landlord insurance providers. The most common insurer across properties managed by Rental Express is EBM. If you'd like us to point you in the right direction, feel free to ask.

How should I know what my property will rent for?
You will get the best indication of what your property should rent for by closely comparing it to other properties similar to yours that are currently being rented, or have just been rented, in the same area. Market forces will determine exactly what amount of rent you achieve. If you have a very popular property you will get more interest and subsequently a higher rent. If you have a property that is less rentable, you will find it hard to command a premium rent.

Click here to get a FREE Online Rental Appraisal

The average property managed by Rental Express has been proven to generate 9% more rent than the median for other properties in that suburb. Why? Because our property managers are trained to negotiate the best rent increase possible without costing you a good tenant. If your property manager doesn't know exactly what your property should be renting for, then you could be missing out on valuable rental income.

Do you have affiliations with other real estate agencies if I want to sell my property?
At Rental Express we specialise in managing investment property. However we also understand that part of investing in property is buying and selling. That's why we've gone out of our way to build affiliations with quality real estate agencies that can sell your property regardless of where it is in Australia. Being industry insiders, we know which agents do a good job and which ones you should steer clear of. So don't do anything without talking to us first. When you want to buy or sell a property call us directly and we'll put you in touch with the most suitable agent based on the type of property and the location.

Some of the agencies that we work with include:

Residential Sales in Brisbane - Ray White Express are an award winning inner city real estate agency employing a seriously professional group of top quality agents.

Commercial Real Estate in Sydney - Tim Green Commercial is a leading commercial property agent with thousands of listings of offices for sale and lease; retail shops and cafes for sale and lease; medical suites for sale and lease; hotel and leisure properties; and also investment opportunities located in the Sydney CBD and city fringe.