Renting - what paperwork wil I need?

[Guest Simon & Laura T]

Hi all,

 

We'll be on our way out to Adelaide in a couple of weeks, yippee! We're sorted for accom for the 1st 6 weeks but then we'll be looking for a rental property.

 

What sort of paperwork are agents likely to ask for from overseas arrivals? Is there anything I should be getting now to bring with me? I don't know any credit letters from my bank?? We've always owned houses previously so i haven't any landlord references?

 

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

Laura

[Guest Deb17]

If you have any of the details from the sale of your house that will help, as if you've been an owner occupier landlords and agents seem to think you will take care of the place conscientiously enough. They usually ask for 100 points of ID and details of your work and income. The 100 points of ID can sometimes be covered by a passport, S.A. driver's licence and a medicare card, but is complicated by the fact that different agents or landlords will ask for different items to make up the 100 points - things like a mobile phone contract even. I keep all utility bills now to show prospective agents (this will be the third time we've changed rental!) A lot of people on this forum seem also to have put down a few months rent in advance - this will definitely be a sweetener for prospective landlords! Good luck with finding a decent rental, there aren't really that many around.

[ozzieclare2be]

We found a rental 2 days after arriving with no references but i think we were lucky!! I brought a letter/mortgage statement to say we hadnt missed any payments, a letter from our estate agent who sold the house and the brochure from the house sale. Also a stantement from our aus bank showing the balance and we offered to pay 2 months up front. Hope this helps x

[Jessica Berry]

We had been advised by some friends to offer 6 months rent upfront to basically jump the queue when we first arrived and to get somewhere as we were new migrants with no history in Australia.

 

We went to look at one property that had been advertised and it was very 'studenty' we asked the agent if she had any other properties (we wanted a furnished property) and offered 6 months rent up front. She immediately was interested and said "I have the the place for you", which we ended up renting and she suggested we pay 3 months rent up front, plus you have to pay the bond (which was 6 weeks rent in our case), plus I think we had to pay 2 weeks rent up front, so make sure you come with plenty of cash!

 

When we rented the second property it was a lot easier and we did not pay any money up front. The agents are very thorough over here. The agents contacted my partners boss to make sure he was employed where he said he was.

 

Also if you terminate a lease early which we did as we bought a house it can get very costly.

[Guest Tracijbc]

Hi there,

 

We rented our place on 2nd June, and all they asked for was an email reference either from someone in the UK or here in Australia. We rent from Ray White in Blackwood. We were lucky to have been renting in the UK before we moved and gave our landlord as a ref, but we also have a mate who lives here who gave us a character ref. Don't be sucked into thinking that you have to offer ridiculous amounts of rent up front or any kind of incentive to get the place you want. The best time to view is during weekdays, as everyone else is at work and we got our place after viewing it at 2pm on a Monday, there was only us and one other woman viewing the palce and we went straight to the letting agent office and put our application in in person there and then.

 

Good luck, and if we can help at all, please drop me a line.

 

Traci xx

[Jessica Berry]

Hi there,

 

We rented our place on 2nd June, and all they asked for was an email reference either from someone in the UK or here in Australia. We rent from Ray White in Blackwood. We were lucky to have been renting in the UK before we moved and gave our landlord as a ref, but we also have a mate who lives here who gave us a character ref. Don't be sucked into thinking that you have to offer ridiculous amounts of rent up front or any kind of incentive to get the place you want. The best time to view is during weekdays, as everyone else is at work and we got our place after viewing it at 2pm on a Monday, there was only us and one other woman viewing the palce and we went straight to the letting agent office and put our application in in person there and then.

 

Good luck, and if we can help at all, please drop me a line.

 

Traci xx

 

We first rented in April 2007, so the rental market may have changed since then.

 

We were also after a furnished property which were harder to find at the time and were looking for a place about 10 minutes from the CBD.

 

We owned our own house in the UK, so did not have any rental history in the UK, but were able to offer money upfront and as is the way of the world money talks.

 

The market may not be so competitive now, so you may not have to go down that route, but it is worth bearing in mind if you have the cash and there are other people interested in the property.

[Guest michelleandrichard]

Hi Laura,

 

I am an agent here in Adelaide, the ID we need are: Passport, Drivers Licence, Credit Card, Any Bills, and some sort of proof that you can consistently pay your rent! this can be a old home loan statement if you have one. Most agents want references for work history and to show you are employed.

 

Here at Ironfish we generally prefer new Australians, as you have to go through a lot of work to get approval just to get here!! and we have had a good past with poms.

 

95% of our properties are all brand new 3-4 bedroom homes, anywhere from Aldinga Beach to Munno Para. If you would like to organise a property for when you arrive, send me an email and i will find something for you.

 

Good Luck

 

Brett

 

Hiya

 

I wonder if you would be able to help my family out. We have a short term rental organised until end of September but are looking for somewhere more permanent around Reynella, Happy Valley etc.

 

many thanks

 

Michelle and Richyard

[Guest graandjac]

Dont be sucked into thinking that you have to offer ridiculous amounts of rent up front or any kind of incentive to get the place you want.......

 

Not sure what this referes to above..... but be aware you WILL be asked to pay 5 plus weeks as a bond which you will get back when you vacate, which is not an option with all agents. cheers Graham

[Guest Tracijbc]

Dont be sucked into thinking that you have to offer ridiculous amounts of rent up front or any kind of incentive to get the place you want.......

 

Not sure what this referes to above..... but be aware you WILL be asked to pay 5 plus weeks as a bond which you will get back when you vacate, which is not an option with all agents. cheers Graham

 

to clarify....when we first started looking for a rental, we were told that if we offered a cash incentive (bribe) to the letting agent, i.e. 10 weeks rent in advance etc, then we would be "treated favourably" and given an advantage. however, when we started to look for a place, we only had to give the correct deposit, a month in advnace and a month deposit, and we got first dibs on where we wanted. People seem to prey on what they consider to be either desperate or "cashed up" Poms who are looking for a rental, and this is wrong. I was merely stating that if a letting agent is unscrupulous, then they might try and get more money out of you, but don't let them get away with it, or you run the risk of putting us all in that position, and not everyone comes to Australia with half a million dollars up their sleeve spare!

 

Cheers

 

Traci x

[Guest graandjac]

:)No worries traci , i had not heard of that so was not sure what it refered to.

 

But in a way its only paying the rent sooner rather than later. Cheers Graham