Advice for Joondalup Landlords

Your property will be advertised on approximately 14 websites including REIWA, Domain and Realestate.com.  The home will also be advertised on the Property West website and other social media platforms.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question, however, with our regular property viewings, appropriate rent pricing and good presentation, we would expect the home to rent within a few weeks.  Our current vacancy is rate 0.5% and our turnover between tenancies is approximately one week. 

At Property West we undertake stringent background checks on all tenant applications which include reference checks with former Property Managers and as well as their employer.  We also perform TICA and National Tenancy Database checks to determine whether they have previously been recorded as a poor-quality tenant. 

At Property West we have a zero-tolerance policy for rent arrears. This means that if your tenant is late paying their rent, they will be contacted immediately and advised that their rent is overdue.  If rent continues to be unpaid, the property owner may wish to terminate the tenants lease, however we would discuss in full with the owner and offer our recommendations.  Whilst this happens very rarely, there are times when tenants are unable to pay their rent for a variety of reasons.  This is why we have set policies and procedures in place that are followed in order to minimise our owners’ losses.  

The short answer to this question is Yes!  A good Landlord Insurance Policy will cover you for loss of rent, accidental or malicious damage, theft, garbage removal and much more.  For the cost of less than $5 week, it is money well spent.

From time to time we experience this, even when our tenants are carefully selected.  If we are dissatisfied with the condition of the property during a routine inspection or a drive-by of the home, the tenants will be breached and given 14 days to rectify the issue at which time the property will be reinspected.  If the issue has not been resolved, you will be contacted and an advised decision will be made which may involve terminating the tenant’s lease.  

This is a situation that we take very seriously and would be discussed with you in detail. 

In Western Australia we undertake four routine inspections each year.  The first is done after six weeks and then every three months thereafter.  If the property does not present to the required standard, a re-inspection will occur 14 days later to ensure the problem areas have been rectified.  Please refer to the previous point for more details.

General maintenance is an owner responsibility.  Items such as plumbing or electrical issues are common and repairs are paid for by the owner.

If an issue has been caused by the tenant and this can be proven, they will be responsible for meeting the cost of repairs.

General wear and tear is quite a grey area, however, items such as a worn carpet or grout between floor tiles that becomes dark over time are considered wear and tear.  A gouge to the wall caused by the tenant would not be considered wear and tear and the cost of repairs would be met by them.

A thorough Final Bond Inspection is undertaken using the ingoing Property Condition Report, which is used to compare its current condition with the way it presented when handed over to the tenant.  

This task is of the utmost importance and is done to ensure the property is returned in good condition ready for the next tenant, however, this is also the time where problems may be identified. The tenant may disagree with the Property Manager’s findings and refuse to address the issues identified or pay to have them rectified.  

This demonstrates the importance of having a thorough Property Condition Report signed by the tenant when they first took possession of the home as well as having a Property Manager who will follow process to finalise the end of tenancy.  This may involve court attendance on your behalf, however in most cases tenants are co-operative and happy to either address any problems themselves or pay for repairs out of their bond money.

The bond money paid by the tenant belongs to them and is kept by the Bond Administrator (a Government Department) until the end of the tenancy, at which time it is returned to them minus any outstanding amounts.  This may include items such as water usage or any damage noted upon the Final Bond Inspection.

The tenant is responsible for maintaining the property and returning it in the same condition it was handed over in at the beginning of the tenancy, less fair wear and tear.  A property that was clean when handed over, must be clean when returned.