Victorian Renters Handbook
Congratulations! You have been approved because we are confident that, like all our renters, you will be able to pay the rent on time, keep the property clean and well maintained, along with any lawns and gardens that might be part of the private lot.
Renting with KIN Real Estate
We have created this guide to assist you with being prepared for your tenancy, and to also assist you with having the right expectations during your tenancy with us. We believe that a smooth relationship can only occur when the right expectations are set from the beginning, so please read through this handbook. To ensure you have the right expectations regarding the start of your tenancy and the induction process, we ask you to observe the following important points:
The Basics
Keeping Appointment Times
The time allocated to your appointments has been specifically allocated amongst other appointments, which usually run ‘back-to-back’. This means it is crucial you are on time for your appointments. Please allow up to 30 minutes, dependent on the matter at hand, and we would ask that if you are running late, you please let us know as soon as possible. Likewise, we will always contact you if we are running late to an
appointment to advise or reschedule, at your convenience.
EFT Payments are to be made out to:
Account Name: KIN Real Estate Pty Ltd t/as Kin Real Estate – Estate Agent
Business Statutory Rental Trust Account
BSB: 183-334
Account Number: 3038-40219
Description: Provided to you upon acceptance of your application (check with your property manager if you are unsure)
KIN Real Estate
ACN: 616 805 728
Address: Suite 2B, 68 Oxford Street, Collingwood, VIC, 3066
Office Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday to Friday (Except public holidays)
Phone: 0455 123 429
Email: admin@kinrealestate.com.au
Your KIN Property Management Team:
Rob Gillies
Head of Rental Department
p: 0455 123 429
e: rob@kinrealestate.com.au
Lilian Yin
Property Manager
p: 0413 742 114
e: lilian@kinrealestate.com.au
Schuman Yang
Assistant Property Manager
p: 0402 503 597
e: schuman@kinrealestate.com.au
PLEASE NOTE:
KEYS WILL NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL RENTERS HAVE SIGNED ALL FORMS, AND THE FIRST MONTH’S RENT AND BOND HAS BEEN PAID.
Moving into your new home!
Possession Granted: Please note that possession will be granted once the following has been fulfilled. IMPORTANT: We are unable to issue keys early or grant access to the property any earlier than the allocated tenancy start date. An example of this is where access to the property is required to move boxes into a garage or bedroom, or a moving company requiring access before the start date of your tenancy. Under no
circumstances will keys be issued prior to this date.
Tenancy Start Date
Your tenancy start date has commenced, as per your tenancy agreement.
Rent
Your first month’s rent has been received by our agency.
Bond
Your full bond payment has been received by our agency.
IMPORTANT: We are unable to issue keys early or grant access to the property any earlier than the allocated tenancy start date.
An example of this is where access to the property is required to move boxes into a garage or bedroom, or a moving company requiring access before the start date of your tenancy. Under no circumstances will keys be issued prior to this date.
By this point, you should be across the following:
Tenancy Agreement
The specific details of your tenancy with us.
Payment of Rent
How we would like you to pay your rent.
The payment of rent is via EFT using the details provided.
Zero Tolerance Late Rent Policy
We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to rental payments. If your rent is due on the 15th of the month, this means that the money is required to hit our accounts on that date, not necessarily that you can pay it on that date. If you are going to setup automated payments from your bank account, we would strongly suggest that you do this 2-3 business days prior to the due date, to ensure the
payment is received by our accounts on time.
Bond Lodgement
The RTBA will email you to complete the lodgement of the bond, and you need to ensure you follow the instructions in their email. Note: if there is more than one renter, you will all receive separate emails, and will need to respond separately.
Property Condition Report
You must complete and sign this form and any attachments and return it to the agent within five business days of moving into the premises. If you fail to complete this report accurately you may have difficulty claiming your full bond back
at the end of the tenancy.
- Inspect the premises and complete the renter section of this form. Make a comment where you disagree with the agent’s description of an item.
- Sign and date the form.
- Return the agent copy to the agent (scanning and emailing is fine).
- Keep the renter’s copy as a record.
Compulsory Legislation Information
A copy from Consumer Affairs Victoria has already been emailed to you. You can download a copy again here.
Monies receipted
You will have already received email receipts of any payments you have made, and this will continue for your rent throughout the tenancy
Should you have seen anything here that you do not already understand, please speak directly to your property manager or contact us at kinproperty@email.propertyme.com.
Remember to update your mailing address
In addition to your utilities, you’ll need to ensure your mailing address is updated with anyone you’re in contact with – we hope the following list helps.
- Accountant
- Bank/Building Society/ Credit Union
- Credit Card Providers
- Centrelink
- Contents Insurance
- Doctor/Dentist/Other Practitioners
- Health Insurance
- Insurance Companies (Life, home, car, etc)
- Library
- News Agent/Publication Subscriptions
- Post Office – Mail redirection
- Schools
- Shares/Investments
- Social Security/Pensions
- Superannuation Fund
- Contact details
Keep your contact details with us up to date
Should you have not provided all contact details as part of your application, or if your contact details change during the tenancy, please ensure you let your property manager know of the correct details. It is your responsibility to ensure your property manager has up to date and accurate contact details for you during your tenancy.
Keys
- All keys are photocopied/photographed prior to you moving into the property. Keys are the responsibility of the Renter; any replacements for lost or broken keys/fobs/remotes will be at your expense. You are permitted to change locks at the property at your own expense provided you supply a copy of the new key(s) to our office within 24 hours of the locks being changed.
- Locked out or lost keys? In the event you lock yourself out or lose your set of keys please be aware of the following:
- During Office Hours: you may be able to arrange for an additional copy to be cut (at your expense) or to just borrow the office copy, and this will need to be collected from the office.
- After Office Hours: The Renter will need to contact a locksmith at their own expense. If any locks are changed, the Renter is responsible for supplying a copy of any new keys to the Office within 24 hours.
Payment and lodgement of your bond
The bond payment you’ve made to our trust account will be debited to the RTBA
once you complete the lodgement email instructions. Once this is done, you will be
sent a receipt directly from the RTBA.
Condition report
The condition report is proof of the condition of the property at the start of your tenancy; as such it is an extremely critical document. Therefore, you will receive 2 copies; one for you as the Renter to retain and one to be returned, signed in confirmation of the details contained within along with any additional notes you feel
necessary. This is to be returned to our office (either directly, or via email) within 3 business days of the commencement of your tenancy. If the Agent copy is not returned to our office within the 3 business days, we will use the initial condition report as our benchmark for any exit reports, regardless of whether or not you
disagree with the content.
Renters contents insurance
It is important that you investigate whether you should have your own Renters contents insurance, and we would strongly encourage you to consider obtaining it. Building Insurance is the Rental Providers responsibility, however your personal possessions and any valuables you have in the property are not covered by the Rental Providers Building Insurance. Home Contents (or Renters Contents)
Insurance is the responsibility of the Renter. Please 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. The average cost for renters insurance in Australia varies but often falls between $200 to $900 annually, depending heavily on your insured contents
value (e.g., $20k-$70k+) and location, with figures suggesting around $450 for $70k coverage, though some basic plans can be under $300, while premium options cost more. Costs are influenced by suburb crime/flood risk, security, and your personal claims history, with comparison sites like CHOICE highlighting potential savings by comparing quotes.
During your tenancy
Rent Payments
The KIN Real Estate has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for rental arrears. Rent must be paid into our account on or before the due date. Your rent payments make up a large part of your tenancy history. Dishonoured payments are noted on your file and should always be avoided.
Rent arrears policy
Day 2: Text/Email – Advise 2 days in arrears.
Day 3: Text/Email – Advise 3 days in arrears.
Day 4: First phone call along with email notification.
Day 7: Second telephone call, advise 7 days in Arrears. You will be informed that, at 14 Days in Arrears legal action (Notice to Vacate) will be served.
Day 10: Send reminder via SMS and Email. 10 Days in Arrears and Immediate payment is due.
Day 13: Send final reminder via SMS, Email, Phone Call.
Day 14: Final advice that unless rent is paid by end of business day, legal action will be taken the following work day.
Day 15: You will be issued a Notice to Vacate, 246(1) for rental arrears – You will also be issued with application to VCAT for a warrant of possession and payment of rental arrears.
General Repairs
All non-urgent maintenance or repair requests must be lodged in writing (easiest is via email). Phone requests will be required to be followed up with an email as well. You can also use the online portal to lodge a non-urgent maintenance or repair request. Once the request is received it will be acknowledged within 1 business day, and once a trade has been arranged (after Rental Provider consultation) you will receive a notification with their details.
Urgent Repairs
Refer to our Urgent Repairs page for the procedure and trade details. We suggest bookmarking the page via the link.
Routine Inspections
We will conduct a routine at the property approximately every 6 months, with the first occurring 3 months into your tenancy. The main purpose is to provide a report to the owner that you are maintaining the property, and also to check for any repairs and make any recommendations to the owner.
The inspections include the following checks:
- The property is being maintained in a clean and tidy condition.
- The grounds are being maintained in a clean and tidy condition (this includes mowing, weed removal and the watering of lawns) – if applicable.
- The property is not damaged in any way.
- There are no more than the number of people specified on the tenancy agreement living at the property.
- No pets are housed at the property, unless otherwise agreed to.
- Any maintenance issues identified are attended to.
General Property Care
Mould
Controlling mould and condensation are part of the Renters responsibilities; the property must be kept clean and free of mould. Ensuring good ventilation (Opening windows and internal doors, and using exhaust fans), regulating heat in the property and the use of mould inhibiting cleaners are viable methods of controlling mould.
Smoke Detectors
All smoke detectors will be in working order upon commencement of the Tenancy Agreement. It is then the Renters responsibility to change batteries, as required. Batteries need to be changed when the detector continually emits one beep, at intervals.
If, for any reason, your smoke detector stops working, it must be reported to the Property Manager immediately.
Smoking
To protect the paintwork and interior furnishings, all smoking is to be done outside the property.
General cleaning
It is expected that the property be kept reasonably clean, and this is also a tenancy agreement requirement.
Walls, switches, power points, skirtings, doors and doorways
Please keep these free from marks and dirty finger marks.
Cobwebs/dusting
Please remove cobwebs to windows, walls and ceilings. Keep vents dusted. Regularly dust light fittings and ceiling fans.
Curtains/blinds
Keep these cleaned, dusted and also (if suitable) machine or dry clean curtains and
netting on an annual basis.
Windows/sills/window tracks and flyscreens
Keep regularly cleaned and dusted. Please note most modern windows are easily removed from their tracks by lifting the sliding window up at the bottom, and pulling this out for easy cleaning.
Floors
Please keep regularly swept and mopped. Floors in the kitchen and wet areas may need to be scrubbed to keep surfaces, tiles and grouting looking clean.
Ventilation
Please ensure that all rooms are kept adequately ventilated to avoid problems associated with condensation, causing mould and possible health problems.
Wet Areas, bathroom, toilet and laundry grouting/tiles
Please ensure all tiles are kept free from grime, soap scum and mould.
Carpet Cleaning
All carpets should be professionally cleaned on a six-to-twelve-month basis, simply because of general living. The best time is after winter or at the end of a wet period. We recommend professional steam cleaning and we do not recommend the use of ‘do-it-yourself’ hire machines. These machines lack the ability to adequately withdraw soapy water the machine may have.
We highly recommend the following cleaning companies for carpets, and also general cleaning of properties if you require it:
- Ying’s Cleaning Services 0434 621 644
- Zecco 0425 180 800
- Marvel Facility Group 03 9088 7988
- Diaz Cleaning Services 0478 033 986
In the Kitchen
Chopping/Cutting Boards
Please ensure chopping boards are used in bench tops, so that bench tops are preserved from unnecessary cut marks and associated damage.
Benchtop joins
Please notify your Property Manager if the surface laminate has started to bulge or lift at a join.
Grouting/Tiling/Taps
Be sure that if you notice grouting or silicone sealing coming off/loose around any tiles near or around the taps and/or taps dripping/leaking to let us know by repair request.
Oven and Stove Tops
Please ensure that stove tops, grillers and ovens are kept free of burnt on food. Food, crumbs and spills when left long enough become burnt on, blackened and carbonised, making them very difficult to remove.
Exhaust Fans/Vents and Range hoods
Ensure the exhaust fan cover is clean and kept free of grime build up. From time to time these should be taken down and removed to be soaked in hot soapy water, and then scrubbed clean. Please use extreme caution when removing these. If you believe this is unsafe (i.e. a high exhaust fan), then let us know so we can arrange to have these cleaned.
Cupboards/Drawers
Cupboard shelving, doors, door frames and inside drawers/cutlery tidies should be cleaned at least on an annual basis and food in sealable containers to avoid insects and vermin gaining access to food and breeding and also creating a disease risk from germs, faeces and urine.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers provided as part of your tenancy need to be cleaned on a regular basis, and any build up of food remains removed.
In the Wet Areas-Bathroom, Toilet and Laundry
Shower Screens
If you notice cracking to glass in shower screens or shower doors please report this to us immediately. If the shower screen is cracked due to impact damage, this will in most cases need to be paid by the Renter.
Blocked sinks/drains
Should a sink or basin become blocked, first try a drain cleaning product, as per instructions. If the sink or basin is still blocked after treatment, please let us know so we can arrange for a plumber to attend to the problem.
Foreign objects down drains
Please take care not to allow inappropriate items into drains, including the toilet system. If a plumber is employed by us to clear pipes, drains, basins or sinks and it is determined that the blockage was caused by something considered foreign, this expense will be billed to the Renter for payment.
Loose tiles
Should you notice loose tiles to walls, the shower recess or to tiles over the laundry trough etc, please be sure to let us know.
Wall water damage
Should you notice water damage to a wall adjacent to a shower recess, bathroom basin etc please let us know immediately. This can be identified by bubbling or peeling paint, or even water or mould marks to the flooring/carpet.
Taps leaking
Please report any taps leaking either from a tap head or tap handles. This includes washing machine taps.
Toilets leaking
Water left to trickle into the bowl continuously may inflate your water bill and therefore needs to be reported to us when noticed.
Hot water system leaks
Should you notice the hot water service leaking from the valve or from the base of the unit please let us know. The leaking valve is usually fixable by a plumber, however water leaking from the base of a waste storage unit usually indicates the unit has rusted through and may need replacement in the near future.
Outside the property
Water Restrictions
For up to date water restriction information please log onto https://www.water.vic.gov.au/liveable/using-water-wisely
Watering Your Garden and Water Restrictions
Watering your lawns and gardens must be done within watering restrictions; however we insist that watering is conducted to the maximum allowed by the restrictions in place. Watering is still required unless the current water restriction has banned all forms of watering.
Watering Systems
Please ensure that all watering systems are working properly, and are checked regularly throughout the tenancy to ensure they continue to work effectively. Watering systems can only be used should current water restrictions allow.
Supplied Hoses/Fittings
Supplied hoses, fittings and accessories must be kept in good condition and please ensure that everything is returned and in place upon vacating of the property, free of any damage.
Garden/Parking
If garden maintenance is not included in your rental payments, it is your responsibility to maintain the gardens and grass during the period of your tenancy. If you do not wish to, or for any reason are unable to carry out this maintenance, we recommend engaging a gardening company to maintain the property on your behalf. It is also advisable to obtain quotes for this service beforehand, or contact the office,
so you are aware of the costs involved.
Rubbish
Please ensure any rubbish is regularly removed from the property. This includes car parts, tyres and things like lawn clippings or “general junk”. Formal household rubbish and waste must only be placed inside rubbish containers (i.e. wheelie bins) and removed weekly from the property, or otherwise as required.
This cannot be allowed to accumulate.
Oil Drippage
Should oil drippage occur at any time, this must be cleaned up immediately to prevent oil seeping in and permanently staining the driveways. Please note any permanent staining will result in compensation being charged to the Renter.
Parking on Lawns/Gardens
It is important that at no time can cars or any type of vehicle be parked on any lawns, gardens or any area not created for, or designated as a vehicle parking area. Damage to lawns and landscaping can be costly. Engine oil drippage to gardens and lawns will also create permanent damage to the soil area, being costly to rectify. Any damage of this type will be charged to Renters in full.
Pets
Pets and Animals are not to be kept on the property, unless by written permission of the Rental Provider. If pets have been permitted on the premises by the Rental Provider, it is the Renters responsibility to:
- Maintain a fit, proper and humane environment for the pets.
- Not keep more pets on the premises than authority has been given for.
- Ensure that no damage occurs to the property due to the pets.
- Maintain a valid and up to date council registration of any and all relevant pets.
If you would like to apply for a pet, please download and complete the Approved Pet Form, and email it through to your Property Manager before you have a pet in the property
Subletting, breaking the rental agreement, and changes to the rental agreement
Subletting
Subletting a premises (When an existing Renter wishes to rent part of the premises to another person, including rooms and car parks) is a breach of the signed Tenancy Agreement and will result in a 14 days Notice to Vacate being served on all occupants of the premises, unless:
- A written request has been sent to the Rental Provider and Managing Agent.
- Written Permission has been returned to the Renter.
Renter transfer
- All changes to Renters at the address (whether moving in or moving out) must be made in writing to the Property Manager and Office with at least 28 days’ notice, to allow the organisation of Bond Transfers and, if necessary, new Tenancy Agreements. There will also be fees payable for all Renter transfers, and any new Renters to the property must submit an application to the property manager and receive approval in writing prior to moving in.
- In cases where none of the original occupants listed in the original Tenancy Agreement reside in the premises, the current Tenancy Agreement shall be deemed void and a new Agreement will be signed for the remainder of the original rental agreement period.
Breaking the rental agreement
Breaking the rental agreement is when a Renter wants to end the tenancy agreement earlier than the end of rental agreement date, you will be liable for fees and charges. Break rental agreement fees are as follows:
- Rent until the day the property is relet and an approved new tenancy commences, or the rental agreement end date, whichever is sooner.
- Agency re-leasing fee as calculated proportionately to the unexpired time of the rental agreement term. This amount shall be confirmed at the time of an approved Renter takeover
- The property will be listed on 8 internet sites, at a cost to the Renter of $385.00 inc GST.
- The cost incurred in erecting a leasing sign board at the front of the property should it be appropriate at the cost of $110.00 incl GST.
- NTD Credit checks of $20.00 per person on approved applications.
Property Troubleshooting Guide
Having an issue with something at your property? Some common solutions to household problems are below. Check them out before contacting KIN Real Estate to request property maintenance, to avoid call out fees being payable by the renter.
Hot water systems
- Is the pilot light on? (This is the most common cause of no hot water)
- Is the power switched on?
- Has the power box tripped the safety switch or blown a fuse?
- Have you topped up the water level with the filler valve?
PLEASE NOTE: If a plumber is sent to the property and the issue is found to be the pilot light you will be liable for the call out fee.
Lights
Have you checked the globes are at the recommended watt/voltage to ensure they will last a reasonable period of time (Replacing globes at a higher wattage can cause them to blow more regularly)?
Power
- Has the power box tripped the safety switch or blown a fuse?
- If the safety switch has been tripped, reset. If it trips again, unplug all appliances from all power points, reset the switch and re-plug each of the items one at a time to identify what is causing the problem.
- Is there a power-outage in the area?
PLEASE NOTE: If an electrician is called out to the property and the issue is found to be a faulty, Renter supplied appliance, the Renter will be liable for the call out fee.
Air Conditioner
- Has the power box tripped the safety switch or blown a fuse?
- Is the filter clean? Is the unit set to ‘heat’ or ‘cool’ respectively?
Blocked Drains
- Have you cleared the drain of any hair and soap build up?
- Have you tried using a plunger?
- Have you tried clearing the drains with specific cleaning agents for drains