Sissons - Tenant Information

Managing your tenancy agreement should be a straightforward, simple process. We have developed this guide to assist you in settling into your new home and throughout your tenancy.

The following information is provided to ensure you have a trouble free tenancy with Sissons estate agents.

Office Hours for Enquiries and Advice

Available 7 days a week

8.30am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday (Saturday & Sunday by appointment only)

On leasing your new home from us you will be provided with a phone number for 24 hour emergency contact with our property management team in the event of a household emergency.

Tenancy Applications/Agreements

The Residential Tenancies Act 1994 requires that there must be a written tenancy agreement between the tenant/s and landlord/agent. To secure your chosen property, a tenancy application form must first be submitted by every person intending to reside at the premises. To ensure you are ready move quickly, it helps to be aware of the various information and documentation which will be required:

Drivers licence/passport details (photo ID)
Vehicle registration details
Current address details & name of landlord/agent
Previous address details & name of landlord/agent
Occupation
Current employer and contact number
Period of employment
Previous employer, phone number and period of employment
Tenancy details – number of adults/children/pets (type, weight and registration)
Next of kin
Two (2) references, referee’s address, business hours contact number. Relatives and partners are not to be listed

While the standard terms of the General Tenancy Agreement (RTA Form 18a) cannot be altered, additional terms may be added if all parties agree.

This agreement also involves the signing of the Entry Condition Report (RTA Form 1a), which is used to establish the state of the property at the beginning of the tenancy. This is a true and accurate account of the condition of the premises and will be referred to as evidence if a dispute arises over the condition of the property at the end of the tenancy.

Tenants will also be given the Information Statement (RTA Form 17a) and a full copy of any by-laws that apply to the leased property.

Additional Costs

When you take on a lease, you must be sure to factor in any additional costs that may incur on top of the rent, such as:

Electricity
Gas
Phone
Water usage – this applies only when a lease specifies that ‘water usage’ is an included component and the property is individually metered (the majority of agreements will not require you to pay this)

Illegal Charges or Requests

There are certain charges which are not borne by the tenants and requests that do not need to be met:

Council rates
Water rates – except in cases where a tenant has agreed in the lease to pay for ‘water usage’. Water connection fees cannot be passed on to the tenant.
Maintenance and repair charges for general upkeep or fair wear and tear
Penalty clauses for late payment of rent
Post-dated cheques, sometimes asked for by landlords/agents in the pretext that they can be cashed at regular intervals

Rental ‘Security’ Bond

The purpose of a rental bond is to provide a security upon the property in case you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement such as unpaid rent or damage to the property.

The maximum rental bond that tenants can be asked to pay is:

4 weeks rent
If rent is more than $300 per week, there is no limit on how much can be charged

Lodging of the bond and subsequent forms are the responsibility of the landlord/agent and must be done within ten (10) days. The bond monies are forwarded to the Residential Tenancies Authority who will allocate a unique Rental Bond Number to coincide with the property and remain the monetary custodians until the end of the tenancy.

A signed Trust receipt will be given to the bond contributors at the time of payment.

Rental Payments

Rent is to be paid on a fortnightly basis with the first two (2) to be paid in advance on signing your tenancy agreement . If at any time you are unable to make a rental payment, on or before the due date, please make immediate contact with you our Property Management Team.

Payment methods available to you:

Direct Deposit
Direct Debit
Electronic Funds Transfer

We do not accept cheques.

Utilities

Once taking up a lease, it is your responsibility to connect the necessary utilities and services. Generally this is done over the phone, but major companies now provide the option to update your details online through their websites.

Electricity – Energex

Tel: 13 12 53

Available: Monday to Friday 8am – 6.30pm

Website: www.energex.com.au

Natural Gas – Origin Energy

Tel: 13 24 61

Available: Monday to Friday 8am – 5.30pm

Website: www.originenergy.com.au

Phone – there are a number of phone carriers you can use:

Telstra: 13 22 00

Website: www.telstra.com.au

Optus: 13 39 37

Website: www.optus.com.au

are the two major ones

Cable TV – depending on whether your street and your building have cable installed you may wish to hook up a cable TV connection. There are a few options available:

Foxtel: 13 19 99

Website: www.foxtel.com.au

Optus Vision: 13 39 37

Website: www.optus.com.au

are the two major ones

Periodic Inspections

During the course of your tenancy, the premises will be inspected on a three (3) monthly basis by Sissons estate agents after a minimum of seven (7) days notice has been given to you. These inspections are to check on how the property is maintained and to see whether routine maintenance may be required. You have every right to be present if you so desire.

Keys

A duplicate key to all properties is retained by Sissons for emergency access. Under special circumstances, and on producing identification proving you are a leasing occupant, the keys can be borrowed, during office hours, but must be returned within twenty-four (24) hours. No service is available out of office hours or on public holidays.

It would therefore be advisable, that you also make private arrangements regarding the location of a spare key, should you inadvertently lock yourself out.

Locks may only be changed, after first obtaining permission from the landlord/Sissons, and then on the strict understanding that you supply us with a spare set of keys . Remember, it is in your best interests to ensure that we have access to your property.

Insurance

Your landlord has no obligation to insure your personal belongings as part of their building/landlord insurance. It is strongly recommended that you insure your personal belongings against any loss, damage or theft.

Repairs and Maintenance

Should you require repairs or maintenance on your rental property you can either:

Submit an online Maintenance Request Form
Fax or Mail us in writing using the Maintenance Request Form provided in your Tenancy Folder

Only emergency repairs, such as a burst pipe or failure of an essential service will be verbally accepted. All repairs are attended to as promptly as possible; however, it is often necessary to obtain the Landlord’s approval and/or quotes before any work can begin, so on occasions a delay is sometimes unavoidable. The Sisson property management team will keep in constant communication with you, so that you are aware of pending timelines.

If firm arrangements regarding access for any tradespeople are not kept by you, the service charge for calling the tradesperson will be automatically passed on to you for payment.

Tenant’s Responsibilities

Tenants must keep their rental premises in a reasonable state of cleanliness and if include lawns and gardens these must also be kept neat and tidy.

Tenants must notify Sissons of any damage to the premises as soon as possible, preferably in writing, being responsible also for the damage caused by other occupants of the premises or any person the tenant allows on the premises.

A tenant cannot, except with the written permission from Sissons, attach any fixture or make any renovation, alteration or addition to the premises. This can range from small changes like picture hooks in walls, adding locks or having a telephone installed, to larger items such as painting the premises.

Rental Increases

Rental appraisals are conducted by Sissons estate agents on a six (6) monthly basis as a service to the landlord. The appraisal takes into account similar properties in your area, the general condition and maintenance of the property and local vacancy rates.

An increase would only occur once the fixed period of your tenancy agreement has expired and we have given you one months notice.

Privacy and Access

Tenants have a basic right to privacy and quiet enjoyment of the premises during the tenancy period which must be respected by the landlord/agent, who may not intentionally interrupt this.

Sissons estate agents will only enter your premises under the following circumstances:

If you agree. Unless you agree, access is not permitted on Sundays, public holidays or outside the hours of 8am to 8pm
To carry out a general inspection of the premises if you have been given at least 7 days notice. There can be no more than 4 inspections in any 12 month period
To carry out necessary repair or maintenance work where you have been given 2 days prior notice, or otherwise agree to earlier entrance.
To show the premises to prospective tenants on a reasonable number of occasions if you are given reasonable notice (no less than 24 hours) on each occasion. This type of access is only permitted during the final 14 days of tenancy
To show the premises to prospective buyers, on a reasonable number of occasions if you get given reasonable notice (no less than 24 hours) on each occasion. Access to show buyers can occur at any stage during the tenancy but must be accompanied with the correct forms notifying you of your landlord’s intention to sell.
If there is good reason for Sissons to believe that your premises have been abandoned
In an emergency
If the Tribunal orders that access be allowed

Termination of the Tenancy

Your General Tenancy Agreement is a legal and binding contract, providing protection for both you and your Landlord. The agreement can be terminated by you in the following way:

If you intend to vacate at the end of the lease period you are required to give fourteen (14) days written notice prior to the expiry of the fixed term of your agreement

If however, unforeseen circumstances arise and you have to vacate prior to the expiration of your tenancy agreement, please contact Sissons’ property management team immediately and we will endeavour to find another suitable tenant. However, you will still be responsible for the rent until another suitable tenant is found, as well as all advertising costs.

Vacating the Premises

You are obliged to leave the premises as near as possible to the same condition in which you entered them, allowing for fair wear and tear, as set out in the Entry Condition Report (RTA Form 1a).

If you fail to leave the premises as you found them, you could lose all or a portion of your bond in order to cover any costs incurred by the Landlord to restore the property to its original condition.

The vacate inspection will be carried out as soon as possible by Sissons. Every effort is made to inspect the property by close of the business day following the return of the keys. If the results of the inspection are found to unsatisfactory, you will be required to return to the property to rectify any outstanding cleaning or maintenance. You will also be required to continue paying rent until the outstanding items have been finalised and the keys have been returned.

Click here for an Online Maintenance Request Form