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Starting a Tenancy Guides

Getting the Basics Right with the ‘Big 4’

Jodie Cartmer avatar
Written by Jodie Cartmer
Updated over a week ago

Renting out your own property is certainly not rocket science, and can be an extremely rewarding experience both financially and personally but it is worthwhile getting the basics right so that you and your tenant are set up for success.

Whilst each state in Australia has their own government agency and regulatory requirements to comply with, there are some consistent themes regarding the approach to renting out your own property. This article aims to provide readers with a quick reference guide on where to go and what to do when starting out.

At RentBetter our aim is to make this a seamless, frictionless experience for you and your tenant by including the necessary documents and compliance into our process – you can click here to sign-up and get started.

Starting a lease typically consists of 4 key elements, which have slightly different names depending on which state you are operating in, but ultimately have a similar intent and outcome.

What do I need to know before privately renting my property?

Guide – A guide or checklist provides the tenant with a range of helpful items that they should know or understand before signing a lease.

Lease – A residential tenancy agreement (or lease) is the legal contract and terms and conditions between the owner and the tenant.

Bond – A rental bond is a security deposit a tenant pays at the start of a tenancy which is then lodged with the state government agency.

Condition report – This report records the general condition of the property, on a room by room basis, and is signed within the first 7 days of the lease by both the owner and tenant.

New South Wales (NSW)

Office of Fair Trading – Phone 13 32 20

Queensland (QLD)

Residential Tenancy Authority – Phone 1300 366 311

Victoria (VIC)

Consumer Affairs Victoria – Phone 1300 55 81 81

Western Australia (WA)

Department of Commerce – Phone 1300 304 054

South Australia (SA)

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

Access Canberra – Phone 13 22 81

Tasmania (TAS)

Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading – Phone 1300 65 44 99

Northern Territory (NT)

Consumer Affairs – Phone 1800 019 319

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