What You Should And Should Not Do When Renting

Jan 13, 2020 Moving to a rental property is not as easy as you think it is. You have to deal with numerous responsibilities and ensure that you are executing them perfectly. Usually, in this process, people overlook some important things they should and should not do when renting. Hiring cheap removalists in Melbourne is an effective way to move in a hassle-free manner. But there are several more things that you need to know. Understanding these factors will not only help you to move in but also move out of the rental house without any conflict or losing the bond money. Have a look!

What You Should Do When Renting

Moving to your own house and moving to a rental property are two different things. While you have a lot of freedom in your own house, there are certain things you should do when renting. These things will help you to stay safe and avoid any disputes with the property manager.

1. Read the Lease Agreement Properly

Before you move to a rental property, you must read the lease agreement properly. Tenants often overlook the significance of reading the agreement, and that is where they make a mistake. By reading it, you can get important information like what will be the notice period, conditions that can terminate the agreement, when the landlord can deduct money from your security deposit and so on. If you read the agreement thoroughly, you will also get to know about any particular demand of the landlord like whether you can have a pet or not, do you need to pay for the pool maintenance, etc. All this information is essential. Thus, you should always read the clause of the agreement before moving to the property.

2. Change Locks Of the New House

When you are moving to a rental property, you must change all the locks of the house. This is because your landlord or previous tenants of the rental house are most likely to have extra keys of the existing locks. So, that can be a threat to the protection of your belongings inside the house and also to your family. Contact a reputed company in Melbourne that offer efficient locksmith service. The locksmith can not only change the locks of the house or provide you with a set of new keys for the existing locks, but also they can repair the window and other cabinet and drawers locks.

3. Get Rid Of Irrelevant Things

When you are moving to a new place, particularly on rent, you should get rid of all the irrelevant things. During the packing process, you will find there are numerous things that you don’t need any more – like old shoes, clothes, books, magazines, gadgets, etc. Whether you sell them, donate them or throw them, make sure you are not taking them to your new house. This will help you to organise your new house properly. This is important because you might get a house that doesn’t have enough space for all your belongings. If you have hired cheap removalists in Melbourne, make sure you separate all the irrelevant things before they arrive. Otherwise, it will be challenging for you at the last moment.

4. Take Pictures of the Property

Every tenant should take a picture of their rental property before moving in. Click the picture of the walls, basement, windows, cabinets, drawers, carpets, etc. and keep the photos in a file. These images are evidence of the current situation of the house. When you move out of the rental property, these images will help you to get the bond money back. Due to these images, the property manager cannot hold you responsible for those damages that were already there before you moved in.

5. Hire Professional Removalists

Whether you are moving to your own house or a rental property, always hire professionals moving company to get the job done in a hassle-free manner. If you are moving on a budget, contact cheap removalists in Melbourne. They will take care of the entire packing process and let you focus on other important aspects of moving. The relocation process is a hectic process where you get involved in many tasks at the same time. Professional removalists save your precious time and efforts.

6. Thoroughly Clean Your New House before Moving In

You should always clean your house before you move in. This is for your personal hygiene. Tenants often move to a rental property without cleaning it because it looks clean. But there can be invisible germs, bacteria and allergens in the carpet, kitchen and bathroom, particularly toilet. If the previous tenants have used strong chemicals to clean the house or had pets, you can have allergies. Thus, hire professional cleaners in Melbourne and clean your entire house thoroughly.

What You Should Not Do When Renting

When you are living in a rental property, there are certain things that you should avoid like modifying the house without asking for permission or allowing anyone to stay with you. All these things will make the situation worse and lead to some serious conflict with the landlord/property manager.

1. Make Unauthorized Repair Work

If you are moving to a rental property that requires some extra shelves in the kitchen or any other changes, you need the permission of the landlord/ property manager before you make any modifications. If you fail to do that, the property owner can deduct a hefty amount from your security deposit. Thus, when you are moving in, examine the property first and discuss with the owner about the changes you need in the property.

2. Damage the Property

If there is normal wear and tear like loose cabinet knobs, tarnish on fixtures, stained grout, etc. you might get away with it. However, if the landlord finds any major damage like a broken window, sink, tiles or holes in the wall, you are most likely to lose a hefty amount from your bond money. Also, you should not forget that if the cost of repair work exceeds the amount you have deposited as security, the property manager could also sue you for the major damages. So, you should not damage the property.

3. Live In the Property After the Lease Period Is Over

You should never stay in your rental property in Melbourne after the lease period is over. This is because the rent agreement might have a clause that can automatically renew the extension. In that case, you might end up paying a couple of months’ rent in one go. Thus, you should always read the rental agreement properly. If any unforeseen circumstances arise, talk to your landlord and see if you can get any additional time to move out of the property.

4. Give Your Landlord Any Chance to Deduct the Bond Money

You should not give your landlord any chance to deduct a hefty amount from your security deposit. That is why, when you move out make sure that you properly clean the property, remove everything from the rental house, repair all the major damages, pay all the rents on time (particularly the last month), and other similar stuff. Maintain a healthy relationship with your property manager to get back the bond money in a hassle-free manner.

Endnote

To be a good tenant, you need to follow certain things that will make your move easy and help you to stay in good books of your landlord. At the same time, you also need to avoid a few things that can lead to disputes. The points mentioned here will help you during your move to a rental property.