Renters: how to get yourself the best deal

We’ve all heard the horror stories about those renters who find themselves trapped with the Landlord From Hell, an irritated housemate, or suffering the burden of a broken down home. So how can renters nab a property agreement that is in favour of their renting rights without getting ripped off? By doing these 5 things, you’ll be on your way to living in a home you won’t regret signing off on.

1. Do your research

An obvious way to secure a bargain is to do your market research thoroughly before viewing inspections, giving you a realistic expectation of monthly rent in your desired areas or dwelling types, and narrowing down the properties that meet your requirements and preferences to save on the leg work. So many properties are now listed online, so begin your short listing through real estate websites before you start your travels.

2. Take photos

Photos are a great way of documenting what you see in a property. They can jog your memory when you are visiting so many inspections, they can give other parties or housemates an idea of the property when they can’t be physically present, they can help you compare between misleading photographer’s photos of a property, and they can help when documenting the state of a property once you move in to prove or disprove claims made against you by the landlord or other occupants down the track.

3. Get all parties to inspect the property

That being said, photos do not replace physical checks and balances. When there are multiple occupants looking to move in, ensure that everyone is on the same page and has inspected the property and are confident of moving forward if the agreement gets approved. Agents mostly do require all applicants to view the property before signing off as a matter of policy, or they may require you to sign a form confirming that you are agreeing to take on the property unseen. So if there is a state of urgency to move into the property and one or more occupants cannot view it in time, then query whether this will cause conflict later on.

4. Check the lease before you sign

This may seem like common sense, but ensuring you’ve read all the fine print before you sign your name (and rights!) away is crucial to ensuring you don’t end up in hot water. Take home the rental agreement beforehand if you can to check that the terms are reasonable, and enlist the help of a family member or friend to see if you’ve missed anything, too. Ensure that everything the landlord is proposing is documented in writing in the worst case that issues arise and it’s your word against theirs.

5. Check for any issues

If there’s a problem you’ve witnessed in hopefully multiple visits of the property like necessary maintenance repairs, don’t hesitate to have it addressed by the landlord as it is in their best interests to rectify.

Before you get swept up in the search for an ideal property with family or friends, double checking our list will help keep you on track with your housemates, and prevent potentially horrid circumstances or conflicts between occupants and your future landlord.

If you’re in the rental market and need to get a leg up on the competition, browse our rental property listings with Hicks Real Estate, or give us a call on 07 3355 6845!