Moving house

[ghyle]

Unless I find a new place to move into, I will be homeless on the first of January.

The place I'm renting now is putting rent up $60 a fortnight from $440 to $500, and I can't afford that. So I'm looking for cheaper places to rent.

Wish me luck.

P.S.: The property inspection went well, but I suspect that it was a pretext to put the rent up.

[Sandi]

I'm not sure I understand about the inspection bit. Does that mean the landlord can just march into your home and give it the ole white glove treatment? I certainly wish you luck finding a new place, hopefully not only cheaper but better and with a less invasive lease.

[Hans]

I don't understand the inspection either. Anyway, good luck with finding a ne place, Ghyle.

[mawra]

Good luck with finding a place.

[L'isa]

Things have a way of just working out, so hopefully this will work out for you. Good Luck

[StevenB]

Good luck ghyle. I hope it works out for you.

[Deb]

Wow is that ever expensive!! I got thrown by the fortnight thing...I'm used to hearing rent in terms of monthly payment. I do hope you find another place to rent for less money.....can you move a little out of town so that rent will be cheaper? The amount of space available may also go up accordingly!!

Good luck Ghyle!

[ghyle]

The property inspection is a regular thing: the property manager is supposed to make sure that the property is not being abused, but mine keeps going into minutiae of cleaning.

As for moving out of town, I have to keep in close proximity to my mum and stepdad in case anything happens (she is in her 70s, he's 94), and in the general region of my psychiatrist.

[ghyle]

Had a look at two flats today. The first was tiny, only had 2 hotplates and no oven. The other was dark but spacious, so I am going to apply for the second. It is also a block away from the library. Hubba hubba!

[Sandi]

I never knew how much I didn't know about life in other places. What sort of system is there for renting? What I'm used to is finding a place that's available and affordable and either taking it or not. What is involved in applications there? Do you have to put down a deposit? How long do leases tend to be? I don't like to pass up an opportunity to be educated. I hope things work out well for you, first of all, but I can't help but be currious as well.

[granath]

Yeah. The property inspections are something that's completely Australian. In other countries, certainly in Finland, there's one inspection before you move in and another when you move out, especially if your rent furnished. If you fail the second, they may keep the three months' rent, or a suitable portion of it, you paid as a security when you moved in. In other cases, the landlord won't visit unless neighbors complain about rowdy behavior.

[Priscilla]

Three months rent as a security deposit?! Here I believe the norm is one month's rent as security and also I think a lot of places insist you pay the first month's rent up front. However, the inspection is the same as with Granath. You go over the place with the landlord before you move in and again when you're getting ready to leave.

[Kater]

Good luck with everything Ghyle!! I'm sure everything will work out for you

[Kesal]

I think it's different in each State in Australia, but in my case (and I'm moving out in 2 weeks), the landlord - or Agent in my case, has the right to inspect no more than every 3 months. I paid 2 weeks rent upfront for a Bond, and 2 weeks rent in advance, then they take weekly payments.
Here's a link to the Renting guide published by the authority in charge of regulating the rental system here.

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by Sandi

What I'm used to is finding a place that's available and affordable and either taking it or not.

Sometimes even in the US you have to fill out an application, and they may run a credit check on you, to verify that you can really afford the place. Also, if multiple people are interested in the same place, then the landlord gets to pick who to rent to.

Three months deposit does sound outlandishly high to me, I'm used to 1 month max, sometimes a half month's rent.

[mawra]

I've herd that in the bigger cities that you have to apply for an appartment. I've even seen add where referances were neede before you could rent. I have never had to rent tho.

[Sandi]

Well, I haven't looked at apartments in many years. I'm sure a lot has changed by now. I understand a month's deposit and even paying a month in advance, but I agree that three months is a bit much.

[Cherlyn]

I am still in the process of moving from an apartment to my Dad's house . . . got a notice last week they want the place cleaned up - it was too cluttered! Duh, we're packing!

[Hans]

Originally Posted by Cherlyn

I am still in the process of moving from an apartment to my Dad's house . . . got a notice last week they want the place cleaned up - it was too cluttered! Duh, we're packing!

that's hilarious; too cluttered while you;re in the middle of a move? Did they think you would leave all there was behind?

[Anneli]

In the UK, it's standard for the lease to include a requirement for the agent/landlord to have access once every three months to see that the property is being maintained in good condition. Deposit is one, max two month's rent. There's also a "check-in" and a "check-out" inventory, which can lead to endless arguing over whether X was clean in the first place

Originally Posted by granath

Yeah. The property inspections are something that's completely Australian. In other countries, certainly in Finland, there's one inspection before you move in and another when you move out, especially if your rent furnished. If you fail the second, they may keep the three months' rent, or a suitable portion of it, you paid as a security when you moved in. In other cases, the landlord won't visit unless neighbors complain about rowdy behavior.

[Kat]

Good Luck!!

[Kesal]

We always have to provide references - especially from where you work. They want to check you are who you say you are and that you earn what you say you earn. And that's in the city and in the country. It's standard practice, according to my sister who is a rentals manager for a real estate agent.

[jube]

Having moved plenty of times, all I can say is good luck Ghyle. Fortunately for us , we brought our house at time when prices of houses for sale were reasonably price, now everything's gone up, even rent. GOOD LUCK and happy hunting.

[StevenB]

How's it going Ghyle? Good luck with the flat hunting. If you get that second flat buy lots of light bulbs...

The housing market seems to be nuts on both sides of the Atlantic at the moment.

[Gwina]

Hey Ghyle! Best of luck with everything! I didn't realize how different it was elsewhere. I think rental managers can be sneeky though. I had an incident today, as a matter of fact. I woke up this morning to my car alarm going off as some guy was trying to tow it away. I had forgotten that a parking lot renovation was planned. ha! I moved my car for them immediately and come to find out all they were really doing was painting parking space lines and they want to charge me for the towing. What towing? I moved my car for them and about 20 people were witness. geez. So, like I said, lots of luck and keep a sharp eye!

[chris]

well the standard thing for NSW and Qld rentals is one weeks rent is deposit (submitted with application), then if approved (accepted) the 'rental bond' is equal to 4 weeks rent (if under a certain $ per week) and generally 2 weeks rent is to be paid in advance. From memory if the rent per week is over $400 then the 'bond' can be any amount the owner desires.........so we have x amount paid on application then x times 6 paid on acceptance and the agent can inspect every 3 months, as well as before moving in and on moving out and if things are not clean enough (even if you cleaned the place better than it was when you moved in) then the cost of cleaning is deducted from your refundable bond.

[chris]

I should say that you don't get any of your bond back until the premises is cleaned to the agents satisfaction....... even if it is cleaner than when you moved in........ particular spots to check are the sliding window tracks and the apparently pull out tray under the hot plates on the stove!!!

[Hans]

Sorry, can't resist...

Seems to me the Australians, when it comes to rental property, still apply the rules from the convict times

[ghyle]

True, Hans. It does seem like it to me.

[Cynth]

In Canada, it varies a wee bit from province to province but typically, you pay first and last months rent up front, plus if you have pets then another 2 weeks or 1 month rent for a damage deposit, depending on the landlord. If they wish to inspect they have to give a minimum of 2 weeks notice and can only do it once during the term of the lease, unless there is a registered complaint. Length of leases usually are negotiable and can run from 1 year to 5 years.

Good Luck Ghyle...I hope everything goes well....I hate moving, mainly because I have specific requirements and lots of complications with children, pets and livestock to move.

[jube]

Hans, don't forget, some of your lot came here too! Even if they weren't convicts. Besides I'll convict you of being a fan of Anne McCaffrey and then you can call yourself a convict. Haha! (All I can say is Ghyle - hope you find a nice weyr!)