Tenants

We recommend you regularly clean your property to avoid issues that may affect the return of your bond. Please ensure you clean the property with the correct cleaning products for the specific item, paying special attention to areas such as:

• Grout between the tiles
• Soap scum and mould in the bathrooms
• Oil and grease in cooking areas
• Walls and skirting boards throughout the property
• Windowsills and sliding door tracks

Follow these simple tips to avoid damaging your flooring:

• Shoes, particularly high heels, can dent the floors. We recommend you remove your shoes when inside.
• Floor protectors should be placed on the bottom of all furniture.
• Ensure furniture is not dragged across floors and that heavy items are not dropped on floors.
• Excessive water will stain or damage flooring, so be moderate and avoid water where possible.
• Should an accident occur, we recommend you contact a professional cleaner.
• Harsh cleaning products may cause further damage.
• We recommend professional steam cleaning every 6-12 months
• Extra care should be taken with heated appliances to avoid burns.

Please ensure care is taken with all window furnishings, including blinds, curtains and shutters. To avoid damage, we recommend:

• Draw curtains and blinds to avoid dirty marks and creasing. Tie up cords to avoid hazards.
• Do not push your hands or operate window winders through closed blinds. To open windows/doors, always open blinds/curtains first.
• Venetian blinds should be set in the open position before lifting.
• Holland/roller blinds will need to be re-rolled if opened too far.
• Pets may climb blinds and leave scratches or tears. Avoid this through proper training or by keeping pets away from blinds.

It is important to keep stoves, ovens, grillers and rangehoods free from grease or cooking fats.

• Rangehood filters, exhaust fan covers and heating return air vents are often forgotten. They require regular cleaning.
• By maintaining these items throughout your tenancy, you will avoid long-term damage when it comes time to vacate.
• Please note that stainless steel appliances must not be scrubbed with harsh or abrasive cloths. To avoid damage, please use approved cleaning products.

Bins

• If your bin goes missing or becomes damaged during your tenancy, please advise your local council immediately and let us know.
• Some councils may request a police report. However, in most instances the council will replace your bin on the next available collection day.
• Councils require bins not be visible from the street.
• If you live in a block of units, the body corporate will require the bins to be kept out of eyesight from the common areas.

• Should you receive mail addressed to previous occupants, please write “Return to Sender” on the envelope and post it back.
• If the mail is for the owner or landlord of your property, please forward it to our office and we can ask them to arrange their own redirection service.
• When you vacate, it is advisable to arrange a redirection of your mail with Australia Post to avoid missing important correspondence.

Oil and grease stains are unsightly but can be avoided by taking care of your driveway and vehicles.

• Vehicles can develop leaks that may go undetected.
• It is highly recommended an oil tray is placed under your vehicle.
• Any major works to your vehicle should be conducted at a workshop.
• Always park in the designated areas for your property, not on grassed areas or garden beds.
• It can be a costly exercise to re-sow lawn areas and reinstate garden beds. Breaking a water or gas meter can be even more costly.
• Be mindful of where you park to avoid blocking in neighbours. If there is guest parking available in communal areas, please ensure you leave these spots available for visitors.

Change your clock; change your battery.

• Smoke alarm batteries should be changed twice a year. Daylight saving is a great reminder.
• The owner of your property may have engaged a smoke alarm service company. They will contact you to arrange access every year to service your smoke alarm.
• Please ensure the elected company received prompt access.
• Regardless of whether the owner does or does not service your smoke alarms, you are required to immediately notify your property manager of any faults.

Unless specified, it is the tenant’s responsibility to maintain all garden areas on the property and the front nature strip. This includes:

• Mowing and edging grassed areas
• Weeding garden beds and paved areas
• Pruning of bushes and regular watering

We are aware that many people struggle with the maintenance of garden areas. We can provide recommendations of professional gardeners upon request. Remember, regular maintenance avoids large costs in reinstating gardens to their original state.

• Although all care is taken, neither the agent nor the landlord can guarantee keys have not been copied by previous occupants.
• Should you choose to change the locks, it will be at your expense. A copy of any and all new keys must be provided to the agent.
• Recoding alarms is also the tenant’s responsibility. The landlord/agent will provide the most recent alarm code.
• It is not uncommon for alarm systems to be non-functional. Please check with your property manager if this is the case, as it may not be provided within the tenancy.

Do not smoke inside the property, under any circumstances. Instead, please ensure you always smoke outside to avoid being served with a breach notice and excessive cleaning bills at the end of your tenancy.

Please notify us if you are thinking of getting a pet. This needs to be put to the owner for approval.

It is important to understand your responsibilities as a tenant, as well as the landlord’s responsibilities when it comes to maintenance.

There are certain tasks we ask you to carry out to ensure the property is well maintained throughout your tenancy, and to avoid any unnecessary call outs and costs. Please read the extra information provided by clicking through the Tenants tab at the top of this page.

Remember, should maintenance be required due to misuse or poor maintenance on your behalf, you may find yourself responsible for payment

Urgent repairs can be phoned through to us. We can action them quickly, avoid further damage, and ensure you are safe and secure in your home.

You are not required to report urgent repairs to us in writing. However, through your online access to the PropertyMe tenant portal, you can report all maintenance and add photographs or videos. You can also keep track of your request’s progress.

Once we receive your maintenance request, we will communicate this to the owner for their instructions.

Please note that while we are the managing agents, we do not have the ability to approve maintenance without the owner’s approval.

Please include as much information as possible when reporting maintenance. Photographs or videos will help us speed up the process, because we can forward these through to the owner and tradespeople.