Tenant & Landlord Information
Tenant Information
Rental Application
Prospective tenants are required to complete a detailed tenant application form in full and provide details of current and past employment, current address and previous address. You will also be required to provide a copy of your driver’s license. These details are thoroughly checked by our property management team. We also engage National Tenancy Database to provide us with your past rental history and bank/credit history. After completion, a selection is made by the landlord. As soon as an application is approved, an REIV tenancy agreement is prepared for the landlord and the tenant to sign. This is a legally binding agreement whereby both parties agree to adhere to the conditions set out in the agreement.
At the signing of the agreement, the tenant is required to pay one months rental in advance plus the bond. Two separate bank cheques are required. The rental amount must be made payable to Karen Gornalle & Associates and the bond must be made payable to the R.T.B.A. (Residential Tenancies Bond Authority). The R.T.B.A. will hold the bond in trust on the tenants behalf until the tenant vacates the property.
Free Utility Connection Service
As an added service, if you would like assistance, (at no additional charge) with connection and disconnection of telephone, electricity, gas and water to your new home this can be arranged through our affiliation with "On The Move". Simply contact one of our property managers today, who will assist you further.
Keys
When you commence your tenancy, you will be given one set of working keys to the premises. Extra copies you may require should be cut at your own expense. It is our recommendation that you change the barrels in all external doors upon moving into your new home. The cost associated with this is at the tenant’s expense. Please be aware that if you do change the locks you are required under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 to provide our office with a complete set of keys for any new locks, likewise, any change to security alarm codes must be relayed to this office.
We can recommend our preferred locksmith at your request. In the event that you lock yourself out of your home, please contact our office to confirm that a spare set of keys are held. You may collect these during office hours, you will be required to pay a $50.00 refundable deposit and photo identification in order to collect the keys. Please note, keys may only be collected by a person named on the tenancy agreement. In the event this occurs out of hours, please contact our office on 9888 5508, our answering service will provide you with the name and telephone number of the property manager on call. In these circumstances, any locksmiths costs will be incurred by the tenant.
Condition Report
This document is as equally important as the lease agreement as it establishes the condition of the property at the commencement of your tenancy. The condition report is used as a comparison at the end of your tenancy and is the basis on which your bond is refunded. Please ensure you check the condition report thoroughly upon moving in. You have three working days after the commencement of your tenancy to sign the report and return it to our agency. If you neglect to return a signed copy of this report, you could forfeit your right to object if there is a disagreement at the end of your tenancy.
A full set of colour photographs are taken of the interior and exterior of the property as a visual record. The extensive photography involved includes inside the oven, cook tops, toilets, fixtures and fittings etc. By keeping a correctly documented condition report ensures the property is returned in the same condition at the end of the tenancy . This is done for every property.
Rental Payment
Rental is due and payable in full on the date indicated in the lease agreement. This is payable monthly in advance. We accept cash, personal cheque, direct debit, and internet transfer. We are vigilant in our monitoring of arrears and pursuing outstanding money for our landlords. We will send you an email, SMS, letter via surface mail or call you on the telephone to remind you. It is important that should any unforeseen circumstances arise and you are unable to pay your rental by the due date, that you contact your property manager to discuss the situation. We will then discuss the issue with the landlord. Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 a landlord may serve you with a notice to vacate if you allow the rental to be overdue by 14 days.
Repairs And Maintenance
We require all repairs and maintenance requests to be advised in writing to our office. Where urgent attention to a problem is required, an initial telephone call followed up by written confirmation is acceptable. A maintenance request form may be downloaded from our website under "rental forms". As we act on direct instructions from your landlord, Karen Gornalle & Associates and the landlord will not pay or reimburse any maintenance accounts not previously authorised or instructed by this office. In the case of an after hours urgent repair (as specified under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997), please contact our office on 9888 5508, our answering service will provide you with the name and telephone number of the property manager on call. Please find hereunder a list of items determined as urgent maintenance as specified in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
- A burst water service.
- A blocked or broken lavatory system.
- A serious roof leak.
- A gas leak.
- A dangerous electrical fault.
- Flooding or serious flood damage.
- Serious storm or fire damage.
- A failure or breakdown of any essential service or appliance provided by the landlord or agent for hot water, water, cooking, heating or laundry.
- A failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply.
- Any fault or damage that makes the rented premises unsafe or insecure.
- An appliance, fitting or fixture which is not working properly and causes a substantial amount of water to be wasted or
- A serious fault in a lift or staircase in the rental premises.
Six Monthly Inspections
Routine inspections are carried out by your property manager every six months. We will notify you in writing of the time we intend to conduct the inspection. Should you wish to be present at the inspection and the time is not suitable, please contact your property manager to arrange a mutually convenient time. Landlords are provided with a written report after each inspection of both the internal and external presentation of their property.
Insurance
We recommend that you insure your furniture and personal possessions against loss, damage or theft. The landlord does not have any obligation to insure your possessions.
Changes To Tenancy Arrangements
Your landlord has approved your tenancy in the names stated on the lease agreement. If a new person wishes to occupy the property, they must complete a tenancy application form and be similarly approved. Any changes in occupants will affect the bond refund when you vacate, therefore it is imperative that these procedures are strictly adhered to. Contact your property manager to discuss and confirm this process. If the lease agreement is in joint or multiple names, all parties are individually and jointly responsible until further documentation is approved and executed. In other words, if the agreement is in multiple names and one party does not have the funds to meet their commitment, all other parties are responsible to meet that commitment.
Terminating A Tenancy
A minimum of 28 days written notice must be given to our property management department (see "rental forms" to download). This notice cannot be for a date earlier than the lease expiry date and the notice is taken from the date our office receives the notice. Please note that rent is payable up until the date that all keys for the premises are returned to our office. After receiving your advice on vacating, your property manager will request availability of the premises for inspections to be undertaken prior to vacating the premises. This will allow our office to show potential tenants through the property. The preference for these inspections will be late afternoon weekdays and Saturday inspections. In the event that you have to vacate earlier than the lease expiry date you will incur additional costs for breaking your lease agreement. Please contact your property manager to discuss your situation and for a full list of charges that will apply.
Final Readings
Prior to vacating, it is the tenants responsibility to arrange for a final metre reading (at least 48 hours prior to vacating) for any telephone, gas, water or electricity supply to the property and advise the above supply services of your forwarding address.
Final Inspection
When a tenant vacates a property and returns the keys to our agency, one of our property managers will carry out a final inspection. This inspection is to determine the condition of the property on vacating, compared to the condition of the property at the commencement of the tenancy. An agent has ten working days from the termination of the lease or from the date the keys are handed back to finalise the refund of the bond. Should any dispute arise regarding the refund of the bond due to damage to the property, the matter may be referred to the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for determination.
Landlord Information
Our highly experienced and competent rental department is directed by our general manager Michael Gornalle and our senior property manager of nine years Des Burns. They have a vast knowledge of the complex laws governed by today’s Residential Tenancies Act 1997 and are highly skilled in negotiating residential and commercial leases.
Lisa Guthrie and Chrissie Fanakos are our skilled property managers that efficiently work with Des and Michael. They have proven to be fast moving, hard working and highly motivated professional real estate agents. Our long standing staff have a reputation of being able to secure a quality tenant within just days of listing the property for rent. They deliver a high quality standard of service and have developed a flair for award winning advertising. Lisa and Chrissie advocate that a well written advertisement will assist in attracting the right people to the right property in the shortest possible time frame.
We can boast we always have a high demand for all types of rental property. We manage rental properties in Canterbury, Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew, Kew East, Balwyn, Balwyn North, Surrey Hills, Box Hill, Burwood, Glen Iris, Toorak, South Yarra, Prahran, Ashburton, Albert Park, Wheelers Hill, Fitzroy, Yarraville and several other suburbs.
Current landlords are experiencing little or no vacancy when their investment property becomes vacant with Karen Gornalle & Associates.
Presentation
When leasing your property presentation internally and externally should be considered, that is, state of cleanliness, tidy garden, etc. Our agency would be most happy to provide you with personal recommendations on presentation to ensure your property attracts the right tenant at the highest possible rental figure.
Where Do Tenants Look For Rental Properties
Today with the advent of the internet in excess of 90% of prospective tenants will search for a rental property via the following sites:
As a faster moving agency, our technology ensures your property is displayed on the internet literally the minute your photography has been completed. This technology ensures prospective tenants the ability to view your property from anywhere in the world.
Corporate Clients And Relocation Agencies
We have established strong relationships with all major relocation agencies who are employed by large organisations to find suitable rental accommodation for their overseas and interstate executives transferring to Melbourne. We ensure our landlord's properties are leased to quality tenants by utilizing our good relationships with these relocation agencies.
It is our company policy to keep appropriate records of potential tenants waiting for quality rental properties on our database. We are constantly updating our database with daily requests from prospective tenants searching for property through our agency.
As a free service to you, our agency will prepare an in house brochure, similar to our "For Sale" brochure which is emailed to the relocation agencies and forwarded to clients on our waiting list looking for a property.
Private One On One Inspections
We offer a personalised service whereby we escort all potential tenants through all properties available for lease. Unlike most agencies, we do not hand over keys and allow prospects to view your property unaccompanied by an agent.
Most tenants today are time poor and prefer to inspect properties without the inconvenience of having to book an appointment with an agent. Therefore, we also conduct scheduled open for inspection times for our rental properties.
On the other hand, some relocation/prospective tenants prefer to inspect your property on a private viewing basis. We will always make ourselves available to suit each client.
Rental Applications (Selection)
All prospective tenants are required to complete a detailed tenancy application form which is thoroughly checked by our property management team. We engage National Tenancy Database who are endorsed by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria to provide a past rental history report and bank/credit history on prospects. We also request that each applicant provide current employment, past employment, current rental and past rental history. After careful selection, the reference checks are completed and then submitted to you for your approval.
Condition Report
A written condition report is completed prior to a new tenant taking possession of your property. This establishes the condition of the property at the commencement of the tenancy.
A full set of colour photographs are taken of the interior and exterior of the property as a visual record. The extensive photography involved includes inside the oven, cook tops, toilets, fixtures and fittings etc. By keeping a correctly documented condition report ensures the property is returned in the same condition at the end of the tenancy. This is done for every property.
Residential Tenancy Agreement (Lease)
Once a suitable tenant has been selected we prepare a formal residential tenancy agreement. We use the prepared REIV tenancy agreement which has been specifically prepared by The Law Institute of Victoria in consultation with the Residential Tenancy Tribunal (Office of Fair Trading). We also incorporate a number of special conditions into the lease so as to tailor each lease to a specific property, i.e. swimming pool clause, open fireplace clause, no smoking clause, garden clause etc.
Direct Debit
We offer a direct debit facility to all tenants thus reducing any problem with rental arrears and ensuring you receive your remittance/electronic transfer of rent efficiently. We are vigilant in our monitoring of rental arrears and pursuing outstanding money for our landlords. For tenants who are late with their rental payment we will send them an email, letter via surface mail, SMS or telephone call to remind them.
Rental Property Inspections
Our agency conducts six monthly property inspections on all properties as allowed by current legislation regardless of whether it is a $200.00 per week rental property or a $2000.00 per week rental property. This is conducted to monitor how the property is being maintained and to see if any routine maintenance is required. This is followed up by a written report forwarded to the landlord. We also conduct regular drive by inspections for the purpose of monitoring the condition of the exterior of the property.
Cost Effective Tradespeople
It is imperative that your property is maintained to ensure your investment continues to improve in value. By attending to maintenance matters on a regular basis, your property will present well and appeal to the wider marketplace if it becomes available for re-leasing.
Over the years we have compiled a comprehensive list of various reliable, competent, price effective tradespeople. In most instances, we prefer to personally inspect your property first prior to recommending a tradesperson attend to the problem. Should the need arise, our office can obtain competitive quotations for any maintenance required for your approval. We can also engage your own tradespeople if preferred.
Insurance Claims
Should any repairs to your property result in an insurance claim, our agency will lodge the claim on your behalf. We will follow through the claim until it is resolved, keeping you fully informed along the way. There is no extra fee for this service.
Regular Monitoring Of Your Investment Performance
We understand the importance of ensuring your current rental return is comparable to similar properties. Our agency continually monitors your return and recommends rental increases as allowed under the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
Fees
Our monthly management fees for your investment property are negotiable. Leasing fees are charged when a new tenant is obtained and a residential tenancy agreement is prepared. These fees are also negotiable. Unlike most other agencies, we do not charge a re-leasing fee when an existing tenant’s lease expires, a new rental figure is negotiated and a new lease is prepared.
Increase Your Investment Portfolio
We can help you purchase, upgrade, sell or project manage major renovations to your investment property. Many of our existing landlords call on us for advice prior to making another investment purchase.
Superior Communication And Reporting
We provide outstanding service to all landlords and tenants and ensure all telephone enquiries and emails are diligently handled each day. We provide you with an annual taxation report each year to assist you when completing your taxation return. We pride ourselves on our personalised ongoing communication with all landlords and tenants during the management of all property and ensure excellence in service is always delivered. Our expanding rent roll is largely due to our personal referral provided from existing landlords and associated professionals. True testament of the excellence in service we provide.
Please telephone Des Burns on 0419 516 858 or Michael Gornalle on 0417 568 806 for a confidential, no obligation rental appraisal of your property.