Posted by admin on 3 August 2011
Preparing a tenancy agreement is not the simple process it used to be. Like much of Queensland’s property paperwork this heavily-regulated lease has grown in length enormously over recent years. Somehow the Acts get bigger, the agreements get bigger, but whether either side is any better off is anyone’s guess. One of the biggest dangers for self-managed landlords and inexperienced agency staff is contracting out of the Act, usually through requiring tenants to meet unlawful demands.
And sometimes those who should know better can come unstuck too. According to the RTA’s latest news two principals of a Brisbane real estate agency have been fined $3,000 each for six offences including adding special terms into tenancy agreements in breach of the Act. They were ordered to write to all existing tenants and inform them that certain special terms that had been written into the agreements would not be enforced.
No conviction was recorded.
Tags: Brisbane Property Management, Queensland tenancy legislation, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, Residential Tenancies Authority, tenancy agreement Queensland
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Posted by admin on 13 August 2010
With the rental market so much more unstable than a year or so ago, vacancy rates are up and so there is a smorgeousboard of available properties for tenants to choose from. Across the inner city it’s not unusual for an apartment to sit vacant for over a month if the leasing agents don’t keep their ears open for market feedback on the asking rent.
So what can a landlord do to attract more tenants and keep the good ones? Presentation and maintenance upkeep of the home is critical. Allowing pets is a biggie – lots of people have their surrogate child/lap warmer and aren’t allowed to bring them to their rental home. And there’s a list on our website of other items tenants always look for.
One idea that landlords often forget is the offer of a long term lease. Tenants don’t enjoy moving (help me carry the fridge down the stairs anyone!) and if they’ve been there for a term, they like it, you’re happy with their payment history and regard for the home, why not offer them an extended lease of 2 years?
Bees Nees head of Property Management Annie von Rudzinski says the stability of a long lease can be a big attraction to tenants.
“If they are happy with the property a longer lease might just be the reason they need to put down their roots. A home is a personal thing to all of us and some landlords probably overlook the connection a tenant can make with the property. Offering a long lease means they can enjoy a greater sense of security and pride in their home and that is a positive thing for all parties.”
Annie says annual or bi-annual rent increases can be agreed in advance. “In this quieter market they might not agree to big jumps in the future but an investor can consider that against the costs of turnover of tenants.”
Tags: Brisbane rentals, Rent negotiation Brisbane, renting to pets Brisbane, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, rules of renting, tenancy agreement Queensland
Posted in Brisbane landlords, Brisbane's rental market | No Comments »
Posted by Rob Honeycombe on 2 January 2010
We’ve written before about the time required to sit on a body corp committee and our admiration for those who do. It’s thankless work and apartment buildings don’t run efficiently without them.
The big challenge is for committees to consider the needs of all owners and residents of the building. Volunteering to be involved doesn’t give you a right to run the place for your own interests alone.
A recent and worrying trend is for a body corp to issue a “no extra keys” ruling. Security is one of the main attractions to living in many apartment buildings and we understand the need to keep security swipes and keys to a minimum.
But in recent weeks a couple of inner Brisbane apartment towers have issued a new ruling that the body corp will only issue a maximum of 2 security swipes. No more.
The trouble is those owners who rent their apartments may have just been asked to breach the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act.
Section 210 requires the lessor (landlord) to give entry keys (including all swipes/fobs/cards to get in any door) to EACH and EVERY tenant.
So body corps are going to have to learn to live with the needs of their investor owners.
Unless you’d like to tell your owners of 3 bedroom apartments they can only have 2 residents. Or those in 2 bedroom apartments they can’t share a bedroom with anyone…
Tags: body corp committee Queensland, body corporate issues Queensland, Brisbane apartments, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act
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Posted by admin on 1 July 2009
The new Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act took effect from today, with a range of new obligations and duties for landlords. If you haven’t heard from your property manager about the changes to the way they now need to represent you, it might pay to call them. Some offences under the new Act do carry stiff penalties. Read some of earlier posts about the challenges for landlords from the new Act, and how it may not be any better for tenants either!
Tags: property management Brisbane, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act
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Posted by admin on 22 May 2009
RP Data's Tim Lawless
Last Wednesday’s seminar was full of info for Brisbane landlords, with the head of the RTA outlining major changes in their new legislation and RP Data’s Tim Lawless talking us through the current market.
The main “take home”? The new legislation is more complex for landlords, with greater rights for tenants that have to be handled very carefully. Each review creates new challenges and this one will catch some landlords and agents out if they’re not right up to speed on the new Act.
Here’s a full copy of the notes we took from the seminar. You can also click through to copies of the presentations from Tim Lawless and Rob Honeycombe.
Tags: Brisbane rents, Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, Residential Tenancies Authority, RP Data, Tim Lawless
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