Tenants

Once you know your move in date, you can contact your preferred providers for electricity, phone and internet and set-up accounts for your new address.

As the tenant, you are responsible for paying for these services.

Water accounts are set up and paid for by the property owner, but the owner can charge you as a tenant for your water consumption if:

• the property is individually metered, and
• the property is water efficient.

If this is the case for your property, it will be detailed in your tenancy agreement. Generally, this means an additional cost to you every quarter.

An initial inspection will be conducted in the first 6-8 weeks of your tenancy.

We then conduct routine inspections every 14 weeks. You will be notified by email or by post at least 7 days prior to an inspection. You don’t need to be home during the inspection unless you wish to be.

During the inspection we will be looking to ensure the home is clean and tidy and well maintained both inside and outside. The Property Manager will make a note of anything that may require fixing. Depending on the nature of the issue, we will determine whether it is the tenant’s or the owner’s responsibility.

As a tenant you are responsible for keeping the property clean and free from damage.

If you or one of your guests has caused some damage to the property (for example, thrown something and broken a window) it will be your responsibility to pay for the repair. If there are structural issues with the property (for example, problems with plumbing or guttering) it is the owner’s responsibility to have it fixed. It is the tenants’ responsibility to organize any such repairs. We can refer qualified tradespeople.

Further information about owner and tenant responsibilities is on the Residential Tenancies Authority website.

If you notice something that needs repair, you are welcome to lodge a maintenance request with us at any time. Simply fill out the relevant details in the online form and one of our staff will be in touch with you.

An emergency is anything relating to the property that is threatening to life, health or the property and cannot wait until the next business day for repair. Aspire Property Management retains the right to determine the status of maintenance requests.

If your maintenance request is an emergency, please contact our office by telephone (07) 5448 0444. However, as most emergencies are of an electrical or plumbing nature, please refer to our preferred contractors after hours. Our after-hours phone message service has the details for emergency contact for a plumber and electrician.

The following are some guidelines as to what constitutes a maintenance emergency:

• Clogged toilet – This is considered an emergency only if there is only one toilet on the premises.
• Broken Pipe – Turn off the water valve to the broken pipe or to the exterior water main, if you can locate it, until a contractor arrives. Do everything you can to contain any leaking or flooding and if necessary, contact other residents who may be affected by the leak.
• No Hot Water – This may be considered an emergency only if there has been no hot water for some time. Be resourceful and heat pots of water on the stove etc. until a contractor arrives.
• Gas Odour – If you suspect a leaking appliance then turn off the appliance and turn off the gas supply to the appliance. Then call the Gas Company or Energex.
• Lock Outs – Management is not responsible for tenants who have locked themselves out of their premises. We will have a spare set of keys for your address which can be borrowed short term. If out of office hours, it is the resident’s responsibility to contact a Lock smith to gain entry. The lock may not be changed without the express permission of Aspire Property Management.
• No electricity – This can often be caused by a faulty appliance which throws the safety circuit breakers or burns out a fuse. Check these first. If an electrician is necessary the emergency number above can be used. If our electrician is unavailable call an electrician of your choice, pay him/her for the service and seek recompense from the office during office hours.

Remember, you as the tenant are responsible for the cost of any repair needed as a result of your own negligence, misuse or damage. You will also be responsible for the service call charge by a tradesperson if you: miss the scheduled appointment; don’t provide access as requested; fail to control a pet that may pose a threat; or for any other reason under your control that doesn’t allow the contractor to complete the necessary work.

You can cancel an appointment by calling our office during regular office hours and speaking with a member of our staff, as long as it is no less than 90 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment with the tradesperson or contractor.

A pool is a wonderful feature in a property during the warmer months on the Sunshine Coast, however it does mean some additional obligations to keep it well maintained year-round. This will be noted in your tenancy agreement. Our office will provide you with specific instructions for the care of your pool.

You may like to consider insurance to protect your own belongings and furnishings inside your rental property.  Tenant or renters’ insurance generally protects your contents against situations such as fire or theft.

Building insurance is the owner’s responsibility and covers the building structure, but will not cover a tenant’s belongings.

Insurance policies vary from firm to firm and it pays to compare features and prices.

Your lease form details the names and individuals who are able to stay at the property. If there are any changes to these individuals, you must notify us within two weeks.

Should you wish to terminate your lease early you will need to contact us to discuss what arrangements can be made. You will need to pay a break-lease fee and pay rent until someone else moves in.