All of us at Highlands Property strive to give all our tenants first class service, but this does require your co-operation and understanding - and, quality communication. To make the process easier for everyone, we have compiled this information for our in-going tenants. For a more detailed and printer friendly version, click here.
Contacting Us
Our office hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9.00am to 3.00pm. The office is closed on Sundays, Public Holidays and at Christmas/New Year.
To receive prompt action, contacting us by email is best, or by fax 4861 0688. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact our office by telephone on 4861 0666. If you need us in an after hours emergency, call 4861 0666. This number is diverted to one of our staff after hours 24/7.
It is important that all your formal requests for repairs, or in relation to other matters affecting the property or the lease are submitted to our office in writing. In most cases an email will fulfill this requirement.
If you wish to visit the office to discuss any issues with a particular Property Manager, please make an appointment.
Paying Rent
Your most fundamental obligation under the lease is to pay the rent, and pay it on time. If there is any turn of events that means you are having, or likely to have, even the slightest difficulty in this regard, talk to us as soon as possible.
Rent is due on or before the due date. If you are in any doubt about when you are paid up to, just ask us for a Tenant Ledger, or go on line and check it yourself. To help you manage this primary financial obligation to pay rent on time we strongly recommend you use the bank direct debit payment system.
If your rent falls into arrears we will contact you, initially with a friendly reminder via SMS, and then with other reminders. If you continue to be in arrears for 14 days a Lease Termination Notice will be issued on the fifteenth day. This will give you no option but to pay or vacate.
Please note: Cash is not routinely accepted at the office for security reasons, and a paper receipt for rent is not issued unless specifically requested by you.
Maintaining the Property
Your second main obligation is to maintain the property in the condition you find it (subject of course to ordinary wear and tear). In this regard it is important for you to carefully check the ingoing Condition Report that forms part of your lease in the first few days of your occupancy: then, use the spare copy of the Report provided to draw our attention to anything that you feel is incorrect within seven days of the lease commencement. This in-going Condition Report and the accompanying photographs will be the benchmark used to judge your compliance with this lease obligation to maintain the property when comes the time you finally leave the property.
Rental Bond
Your rental bond (equal to 4 weeks rent) will be lodged with the NSW Office of Fair Trading and is held as security against any unpaid rent or damage to the property. Your bond will be refunded to you promptly after you have vacated the property provided that your rent is up to date and there are no monies owing for cleaning or repairs to the property. Your Property Manager will advise you what to expect in this regard after conducting the out-going inspection (usually on the next business day after you vacate).
Routine Inspections
We will carry out periodic inspections to check the general condition of the property and necessary maintenance requirements: (7 days written notice will be given to you). Our Property Manager will tell you if they feel you are meeting the required standard.
Repairs
You have agreed to notify us of any damage or repairs that may be required at the property. At all times your first contact to organise any repairs must be to our office. This is best done by submitting a Repair Request Form on our website, but if you don't have access to the internet, we ask that you fill out a repairs and maintenance request form and fax it (4861 0688) or post or bring it to our office 445 Moss Vale Road, Bowral NSW2576 (P O Box 2074). If a genuine emergency problem occurs out of office hours (i.e. Saturday afternoon, Sunday, or after 5.00pm Monday to Friday) please call us on 4861 0666 or directly contact:
| Plumber: | Greg Garnam | 0408 480 308 |
| Electrician: | Marcus O'Connell | 0412 490 408 |
Utility Services
It is a tenant responsibility to arrange for the connection of all utility services (phone, electricity, gas) to your new home in your own name. If you have not already arranged this we recommend the use of Direct Connect, a free service that makes all the arrangements for you, and removes the frequent requirement for you to pay a bond to the utility company. Ask us for details: we can assist you to apply for this service.
When you leave the property it is also your responsibility to arrange disconnection of all the utility services. Failure to do so may well lead to the next occupant of the property benefiting financially from your forgetfulness!
Terminating Your Lease Early
Should you wish to break your tenancy agreement, we can usually assist you under the following conditions. You are responsible for and must continue to pay rent until the property is re-let to a suitable tenant who starts paying rent, or until the end of the tenancy agreement, whichever is sooner. You must pay for reasonable re-letting costs, usually equal to two weeks rent. You must also pay for all advertising costs incurred by us in the process of securing a new tenant.
Giving Notice of Termination
When giving notice to end the lease it must be in writing (the prescribed Notice to Vacate can be downloaded from our website), signed by all tenants on the lease, and handed, posted or faxed to our office. (In this case an email notice is not legally sufficient.) The notice is not effective until we receive the Notice to Vacate, signed by all tenants. 14 days written notice of vacating is required if it is delivered prior to the end of the fixed term of your lease. If the fixed term of your lease expires, then the lease requires you to give 21 days written notice of termination.
Final Inspection
When vacating please refer to your in-going Condition Report, this will be the guideline for our agents final inspection. The final inspection is just that, it is final. Should we find a deficiency with the property we will organise a professional to rectify the issue back to the condition as per the in-going Condition Report and account to you accordingly. Please be very clear that you will not be permitted to re-enter the property to conduct your own repairs or cleaning once vacant possession is given. Rent is charged up to and including the day that all keys are returned to our office.
After the final inspection, we will account to you for the costs of any necessary rectification referred to above, for any rent still due, and then finalise any Bond refund due to you. You will receive this refund from the Rental Bond Board. We do not transfer Bond money to your next tenancy.
Insurance
It is your responsibility to insure your own belongings and furniture.
Sub-leasing
Your tenancy agreement states the maximum permissible number of people who can occupy the property. If there is any change in either the original occupants or any additional occupants, please notify your Property Manager immediately. You are not allowed to sub-lease your property without the landlord's consent. So, if you want to do this, talk to us first.
In addition to the information provided above, more information about renting can be found in the consumer factsheet called New Tenant Checklist. This Office of Fair Trading factsheet would have been provided to you when you signed the lease. A copy can also be found amongst the Links and Documents on our website.
If you are concerned about any matter relating to your tenancy please just call us. We are able to solve most problems before they escalate, making your tenancy as trouble free and enjoyable as possible.
