On behalf of the Property Management Team at hometraders real estate I would personally like to thank you for choosing our agency as your agent and we look forward to developing a long and lasting business relationship with you.
Hometraders is dedicated in making your renting service as pleasant as possible and we have a number of procedures in place to ensure that this happens. We are committed to ensure that your experience is memorable. Like developing all business relationship this requires a joint commitment from all parties.
We have put together a list of tips and procedures to assist you within you tenancy.
Forms
Repair Request Form
Repairs
ALL non urgent repairs must be in writing this can be done by completed the 'Repair Request Form' and emailing it to info@hometraders.com.au, faxing the form to 9413 1214 or printing and sending it to us at 110 Hampden Road, Artarmon NSW 2064.
Only repairs of an urgent nature will be accepted via the phone. This is to ensure that all urgent repairs are given priority and the things that are not so urgent can be allocated to an appropriate staff manager, then assessed individually on their merit by our experienced team members. We understand that prioritising repairs is equally important to our agency and you.
Urgent repairs are considered to be: a dangerous electrical issue or no power: a blocked or broken sewer system including the toilet: serious storm or fire damage: a gas leak or a failure or breakdown in the gas, electricity, or water supply: serious flooding that could damage your belongings or the property: any fault or damage that causes the premises to be unsafe, not secure or may possibly cause damage to the property. All other repairs that will not interfere with essential services or are of a non-dangerous or security issue are not considered urgent. These general repairs must be submiited in writing.
In the event of an urgent repair if the office is open please call 9411 7299 and advise our team member that you have an urgent repair. If the office is closed, please contact your Property Manager, Matthew 0430 434 360 or Annie 0438 640 513.
If your call is not answered and you believe that it is a repair described above you can then call:
Glenco for Electrical issues on 9389 5355 - they have a 24hr paging service.
Paul Daniels plumbing on 0412 224 776.
In the event these tradespeople are not available please contact someone local out of the yellow pages. If it is a gas, electricity or water issue please ensure if a leak that it is coming from your property and if it is from any of the main services you may need to contact your gas or electricity supplier or Sydney Water. If you are unsure whether the repair is lawfully deemed as urgent, please refer to the lease agreement you entered into at the commencement of the tenancy.
When reporting a repair issues if it relates to a stove, air conditioner or any electrical appliance including the hot water service, please advise us the make and model of the appliance so that we can allocate the correct tradesperson. Be as descriptive as you can, as the more information you provide the better we will be able to assist. For example, a hot water service problem may require a plumber or an electrician. It makes sense if you can accurately determine which is the right tradesman for the repair.
Your Residential Tenancy Agreement clearly defines what is considered to be an urgent repair. Where you arrange for a tradesman to visit for a non-urgent repair, especially 'after-hours', you may be responsible for the call-out fee if the repair is not deemed an emergency.
What you can expect after lodging a non urgent repair
After receiving your email, fax or letter, we then contact the owner for authority to resolve the repair issue. The more accurate the information you provide, the more likely that the repair is resolved as soon as possible. We are unable to arrange any repair works of a non-urgent nature without the owner’s approval. We will always advise you of the outcome. Once owner's approval has been gained, we allocate a tradesperson. They will be given all your details. They are only authorised to complete the work that is instructed from our agency on the work order and will not repair anything outside the scope of this repair.
What happens if I do not get a reply from Hometraders Real Estate?
If you do not get a reply in relation to your non urgent repair within 3 working days please contact our office again. If that email or fax is not responded to by close of business that day, please contact me, Jodie Loveday, via email on jodie@hometraders.com.au with copies of your emails. I personally would like to know any time our customers are not served within our service standard guidelines. Sometimes emails may not be received due to spelling errors or technical problems. It is therefore a good idea to request a reply receipt when sending an email as this will notify you that the email has been read by our team.
What happens if the repair has not been completed properly?
If the repair is not completed in a professional manner or you are still experiencing difficult please email info@hometraders.com.au with an urgent flag advising us when the tradesperson attended and including a briefing of the situation.
Your responsibilities with repairs:
In the event that tiles start to fall of the wall, taps begin to leak, or handles or drawers fail etc, it is your responsibility to notify our office so we can ensure that the property is maintained at an acceptable standard. This will also eleviate any disputes at the end of your tenancy. If we cannot see something we cannot fix it, so please let us know.
If your washing machine leaks and causes damage to the property, this can possibly be determined as your responsibility. We strongly recommend that you take out contents insurance to provide cover for such things, as well as your personal property.
In the event that repairs are not carried out in a timely manner, you are not entitled to withhold your rental payments. It is a breach of your tenancy agreement to do so.
Locks
It is a breach of your tenancy agreement to change locks without the landlord’s approval, even if you deem this to be an emergency. Changing the existing lock on a property could damage fire doors and put your safety at risk and the safety of other residents in your building. In the event that you change a barrel in a lock you are required, immediately after, to issue a copy of the key to Marriott Lane Real Estate.
Smoke Alarms
It is your responsibility to ensure that you notify us whether the battery needs replacing in the smoke alarm and your responsibility to regularly test the smoke alarm to ensure that it is working. This can be tested by pressing the test button. Generally this can be done safely with a broom handle. In the event that the alarm is not working please send an urgent email or fax to our office.
Although we endeavour to ensure a smoke alarm meets legislative requirements, if for some reason you do not have a smoke alarm, please contact us urgently and advise one of our team members.
Rental Payments
No rent payments will be accepted in our office at anytime. All rental payments must be paid directly to our bank trust account on time and including the internet reference number allocated to you at the time of entering into the tenancy. If you do not use this number and we are required to place a trace on the payment, you will be invoiced the current bank trace fee at the time. This must be paid within (7) days of receipt of your invoice or this will be deducted from your next rental payment, possibly putting you in arrears.
If you are experiencing difficulties in paying rent, it is your responsibility to discuss this with us. If we are not aware of your situation we cannot attempt to assist you.
In the event that your rent falls 15 days in arrears, we are required by law to issue you with a termination notice that will give you 14 days to vacate the property. If you do not vacate the property, or you leave the matter unresolved, we will apply to the Consumer Traders and Tenancies Tribunal to have the matter listed for a hearing and a Member to make a determination. This can result in the orders being issued with the Local Court that will incur interest and additional costs. It can also make it a lot more difficult for you to rent your next property, as the default would be recorded on your rental ledger.
Having a flat mate move in or a friend?
This is considered as sub-letting under your agreement and without the landlord’s approval this is a breach.
In the event that you vacate the tenancy and you are on the lease, regardless whether the lease is expired or not, you are still legally responsible and bound by the terms and conditions of the lease. This is regardless of whether you have vacated or not. If the tenancy agreement has expired, and the landlord approves, a new lease can be prepared and entered into.
All prospective tenants require the landlord’s approval and are subject to our standard application process. If you are found in breach we may apply to have the tenancy terminated so it is important that you seek approval and follow the process.
Vacating
Please complete the 'Notice of Intention to Vacate' and fax to us on 9413 1214. You are required to give the landlord at least 14 days notice should you wish to vacate the property at the end of your lease. This must be done prior to the expiration of the lease. If the lease has expired, you are required to give the landlord 21 days notice in writing. In the event that we do not receive your notice, you will be responsible for the rent for that period. It is your responsibility to ensure that this notice is given to our office in writing. Any changes to your vacating date should be lodged in writing.
Outgoing Inspection
When you vacate the property it is your responsibility that the property is left equal to the standard that you moved in. The condition report handed to you at the commencement of the tenancy must be handed back with any comments as per the instructions on the form within 7 days of your tenancy commencing. If you do not return this within 7 days the original in-going report done by our agency will be the copy that we refer to when completing your vacate inspection.
To reduce the unlikely event of any disputes and the end of the tenancy we would recommend that the property be professionally cleaned and be in a similar order as to when you commenced the tenancy. A copy of the carpet cleaning receipt on vacating would be helpful to our office.
If you hand the yellow copy back to our office within 7 days, this will be the copy we use when you vacate the property. It is your legal proof and if there is dispute with a bond claim, this would be the document that the Consumer Traders and Tenancy Tribunal would base a decision on.
Feedback
We are constantly looking at ways to improve our services to both our tenants and landlords. If you would like to assist us to achieve this please email your thoughts to jodie@hometraders.com.au.
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