Tenant's Guide to Renting
Click to skip to...
Before You
Rent
Finding a
Property
Making an
Inspection
Submitting
Your Application
Processing
Your Application
How Long Does it
take to Process an Application?
Accepting
& Signing the Lease
About Bond
Payment
Utility
Connections - Getting Connected
Changing
Your Address
Property
Condition Report
Tenant
Contents Insurance
Before You
Rent
We suggest that you familiarise yourself with our
application process before you even begin your
house-hunting. That way you can prepare copies of all
relevant documents to ensure your application is submitted
as soon as you find that property.
You will be required to submit:
- Basic personal details
- Details of your current and past addresses
- Next of kin contact details
- Details of rental history including rental references
- Personal and professional references
- 100 points of identification:
·Drivers license, passport, 18+ card, birth certificate (50pt each)
·Bank/credit card, phone/electricity account statement (25pt each) - Employment details or proof of income
- Last two pay slips
- Employment contract
- Letter of parental support
- Bank statement showing savings or large lump sum deposits
Finding a
Property
This is absolutely the most important step in the rental
process. Finding the ‘right’ property is a decision that
will affect you for the entirety of your lease. So it’s
important that you carefully consider exactly what you want
in a home.
The good news is that Rental Express manages over 3,000 rental properties across two states. That means that if you’re looking for something special, chances are we’ve got it! And finding your new home couldn’t be easier... Simply use our Rental Express ‘For Rent’ search.
All you need to do is go to 'Find a Rental Property' and enter any criteria you may have. Most people will narrow down their search by rent price, suburb, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms and number of car parks.
Once you’ve found one, or a handful of properties, that you’re interested in, it is a requirement that you inspect the property before you can apply. You may also have someone view the property on your behalf.
The next step is to arrange an inspection using the Rental Express online booking system.
Making an
Inspection
Making a time to inspect a property with Rental Express
couldn’t be easier!
- If you’ve used the Rental Express property search simply click ‘Book Inspection’, select an available date and fill out your details (so we can contact you if anything changes).
- If you’ve found a Rental Express property on another website simply click to go to our property search page then use the property address to find the property you wish to inspect and click ‘Book Inspection’.
In both cases you will receive a confirmation email, providing the time and date of the inspection with an application form attached.
Alternatively, you can call the number listed on the property advertisement to book-in via phone.
Submitting
Your Application
Once you’ve found and inspected a property that you are
satisfied with, the next step is to submit a tenancy
application. Click here to download
a Rental Express tenancy application form.
In order to complete your application you will need to provide us with the following:
- Basic personal details
- Details of your current and past addresses
- Next of kin contact details
- Details of rental history including rental references
- Personal and professional references
- 100 points of identification:
·Drivers license, passport, 18+ card, birth certificate (50pt each)
·Bank/credit card, phone/electricity account statement (25pt each) - Employment details or proof of income
- Last two pay slips
- Employment contract
- Letter of parental support
- Bank statement showing savings or large lump sum deposits
There are a number of ways to submit your application. You may hand it in at the property inspection, you may hand it in at one of our offices or you can fax or email it to us. Click here to view our contact addresses.
Processing
Your Application
Most real estates will have you believe that the
application processing period is some great mystery. In
actual fact, what we do is really quite simple...
- Firstly we check that we’ve received all application forms from everyone wishing to apply with you.
- We then make sure that you’ve filled out absolutely everything we need on our end, and that we’ve received all your documentation.
- We’ll then cross reference your identification to make sure that all the details provided line-up correctly.
- We then do a basic affordability test for all people applying on your lease.
- We’ll then contact your employer and ensure that your employment and income details are correct.
- We then screen candidates through a rental database to ensure that we’re fully aware of any discrepancies from the past.
- Once we have compiled all this information, we'll contact the property owner who'll make the final decision on which application to progress.
- We will then contact the successful applicant and organise a time to sign the lease.
- Once the lease has been signed, we will notify unsuccessful applicants.
How Long Does It Take To
Process An Application?
As your application is a high priority, our office will
endeavour to have an answer to you within 48 hours. If your
application is approved, you will be required to pay a
minimum of 2 weeks rent to secure the property. Once paid,
this amount is non-refundable.
Accepting
& Signing the Lease
Once you have been accepted for a property we will make an
initial phone call to advise that your application has been
successful and to arrange a time for you to come and sign
the lease. In order to secure the property we require all
individuals who will be on the lease to visit us at one of
our offices with 24-48 hours of being approved so that we
can stop advertising the property.
When you meet with us we will carefully explain the details of the lease including our expectations and obligations. As we need to explain all your tenancy details thoroughly, please allocate up to 45 minutes for your tenancy induction. We will also explain our zero tolerance policy for late rent payment, the bond lodgement process, action for emergency repairs and help to arrange payment methods through our DEFT payment system if necessary. At this point you will be required to sign the lease, pay two weeks rent in advance and pay the agreed bond amount (the equivalent of four weeks rent in most cases).
Please make all Bank Cheques/Money Orders out to Rental Express.
Bond
A
rental bond is a sum of money that tenants are required to
pay to cover any unforeseen problems. This can cover;
unpaid rent, damage to property by tenants and cleaning
should the property be left in an unsatisfactory condition.
A bond is typically the equivalent of four weeks rent but this can vary in some instances. When paying your bond for a property, you must have the correct amount in the form of a separate money order or bank cheque.
Further Bond Details (QLD)
Shortly
after moving into a property the Residential Tenancies
Authority (RTA) will mail-out a bond receipt to the address
on the bond lodgement form. This money is held by the RTA
for the entirety of the tenancy and released, or
reallocated upon vacating.
If the agent and tenant agree on the bond to be refunded, they will together submit a bond refund request form to the RTA. Once this is complete, you will be refunded the agreed amount as directed by the form. This is typically processed inside of 14 days. If the tenant and agent disagree on the return of the bond, you may file a dispute to the RTA with 14 days of the initial claim. If the claim by the property owner is more than the bond paid, you may be ordered to pay the extra amount.
Utility
Connections - Getting Connected
It is a
tenants responsibility to ensure power, gas, phone and
internet has been connected into your name. You may also be
required to get your water supply connected into your name
depending on whether the property is deemed water
efficient.
Want us to get you connected? (Queensland
Only)
If you have already indicated on your application that
you'd like us to arrange connections on your behalf, we
will arrange this with Direct
Connect as soon as possible - arranging the
connection of utilities is a free service to you!
Changing Your
Address
Be sure to update your address where necessary. This might
include; Department of Transport, banks, superannuation
funds, schools, work and so forth.
Please also ensure you advise us of your new home phone number and PO Box if applicable.
Property
Condition Report
Please ensure that you return your signed/amended copy of
your property condition report to us within 3
days of the tenancy start date. If this is not
returned, please be aware that the original inspection will
be used for end of tenancy comparison, regardless of
whether you agree to the original report or not.
Tenant Contents
Insurance
It is important to note that should your goods be damaged
or destroyed by circumstances affecting the owner’s
property (i.e. fire, storm damage, power outages, etc),
then your goods and possessions are not
insured by the owner.
Example One: An electrical fault in the building starts a fire and the property is destroyed. Your possessions will not be covered by the owner’s insurance.
Example Two: You are away on holidays and the power cuts out due to an electrical fault in the building. Your return home to find your fridge/freezer goods spoilt. The owner’s insurance will not cover your fridge/freezer goods.
Example Three: A storm blows a tree onto the house and in the process, your belongings are damaged. The owner's insurance will not cover your possessions.
A quality tenants contents insurance should cover these examples. Please contact your insurer for further information. You need to ensure that all your goods are adequately insured as neither Rental Express or the property owner will be liable for damaged or destroyed tenant possessions.
Follow us and find us on...