Visits and inspections are frequent causes of disagreement between lessors and tenants and should always be dealt with sensitively.

The Act says tenants are entitled to ‘quiet enjoyment of the property. Therefore, before you enter the premises, you must provide appropriate. notice and be careful not to interfere with the tenant’s privacy or use of the premises.

No more than four routine inspections are allowed in any 12-month period (and an inspection is not allowed when collecting rent). Routine inspections allow you to note any maintenance required and ensure your tenants are looking after the property. Routine inspections can also help to determine what is ‘fair wear and tear’ and what is ‘damage’. Before giving notice of entry to the tenant, you must make a reasonable effort to negotiate with the tenant a suitable time and day. Proper notice must be given. You must use Notice of proposed entry to premises (Form 19) to advise the tenant you wish to enter the premises and the reason why.
Source:
DMIRS –Renting out your property – a lessor’s guide.

Residential tenancy laws in Western Australia have always required lessors to provide and maintain locks or other devices to ensure rental premises are ‘reasonably secure’. Minimum levels of security standards have now been defined and your rental property must meet these standards.These security measures include:

• Main entry door – either a deadlock or a key lockable screen door to Australian Standard AS 5039-2008.
• All other external doors (excluding balcony doors where there is no access to the balcony except from inside the premises) – a deadlock or, if a deadlock cannot be fitted, a patio bolt lock or a key lockable security screen to Australian Standard AS 5039-2008.
• Exterior windows (excluding windows fitted with security grilles to Australian standard AS 5039-2008, windows on, or above the second floor of the building and where the window is not easily accessible from outside the premises) – must be fitted with a lock that prevents the window from being opened from outside. Does not have to be a key lock.
• Main entry light – an electrical light that can illuminate the main entry to the premises must be fitted to or near the exterior of the premises and be operable from inside the premises.
• A deadlock is defined by reference to Australian Standards as,” A bolt that is not actuated by a spring. When locked the bolt cannot be returned by end pressure”. Exclusions apply, including residential premises that are on the Register of Heritage Places, and land zoned for agricultural or rural use under a local planning scheme. The requirement for a light at the main entry does not apply if a strata company is responsible for the lighting to the main entry.
• For commercial reasons, you may want to provide additional security measures. For example, if you choose to have keyed window locks or a security alarm it will improve the value of the property and may help you retain tenants. Further information is available from the department’s website and in the fact sheet Minimum levels of security.
  Source:
  DMIRS – Renting out your property – a lessor’s guide.

Rent
The amount of rent, and how it should be paid, must be stated in the tenancy agreement. There are rules for rent increases and in some circumstances the rent may be decreased. There are also rules about the non-payment of rent.

Other bills
‐ The tenant will have to pay for electricity and/or gas (and arrange connection).
‐ A tenant may be charged for water if the property is individually metered. In cases where the property is not individually metered, the method of calculation, must be stipulated in the lease.
‐ The owner is responsible for council rates, water rates and land tax, as well as property insurance, including building and owner contents.
‐ The tenants pay for their own contents insurance.

Smoke Alarms
You must ensure the rental property has smoke alarms as required by law. Most dwellings built since 1997 already comply with the requirement to have professionally installed smoke alarms. Where mains-powered (hard-wired) smoke alarms cannot be fitted (a common issue in multi-storey
buildings), approved battery powered smoke alarms must be fitted before any new tenancy agreement commences. Mains-powered smoke alarms also contain rechargeable batteries so both kinds must be less than 10 years old (the whole alarm – not just the battery). The year of installation
should be visible upon removal of the cover. The yearly changing of batteries as they run out is likely to be considered household maintenance that the tenant may be responsible for if it is reasonably accessible by your tenant. However, the overall responsibility for ensuring there are working smoke
alarms as required by the Building Regulations 2012 is the lessors.

For more information, visit the websites of the Building and Energy division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (www.dmirs.wa.gov.au/building-commission) and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (www.dfes.wa.gov.au).
Residual current devices You must ensure at least two residual current devices (also known as safety switches or RCDs) are professionally installed to protect all power point and lighting circuits in your rental properties before they are leased or sold. For common areas of strata schemes at least one RCD is to be fitted to protect power points and lighting circuits.

Penalties of up to $15,000 for individuals and $100,000 for bodies corporate may apply if RCDs. are not fitted. Ask for a no-obligation quote from a
licensed electrical contractor before authorising installation and have the contractor give you an Electrical Safety Certificate afterwards.

For more information visit www.commerce.wa.gov.au/rcd or call Building and Energy on 6251 1900.
Source:
DMIRS -Renting out your property – a lessor’s guide.

You must pay the annual service charges (water rates) for the supply of water to the rental premises. The tenant generally pays for water used each day unless your agreement provides for sharing the costs to encourage watering of lawns and gardens. The prescribed tenancy agreement provides space for you to identify what percentage of water usage the tenant will need to pay where there are individual water meters on a property, the Water
Corporation (on your written or verbal authorisation) will send water consumption accounts directly to your tenants. However, be aware if the account is not paid, you will be responsible for the amounts owing.

We strongly recommend you get a special meter reading from the Water Corporation at the end of a tenancy and record this in Part C of the prescribed tenancy agreement or the property condition report.

A special meter reading will provide the cost of, and produce an account for, the water used since the previous reading. If your property is not connected to the Water Corporation’s sewerage system, you should ensure this is disclosed to the tenant and documented in the tenancy agreement, as these properties require quarterly inspections and the avoidance of strong bleaches and disinfectants.
Source:
DMIRS – Renting out your property – a lessor’s guide

Look around your property – what are all the things you’ve been meaning to do, but just haven’t had the time? It’s  important to make some time or have us quote to get these completed for you.

Tenants often only spend 10 minutes looking through your property, so you want to make the best first impression! It can mean the difference between getting the property rented this week or suffering vacancy or a rent reduction. 

Best foot forward
• Professional clean
• Professional pest control
• Professional carpet clean
• Refuse bins are provided
• Lawns & gardens are tidy
• Pool is professionally cleaned
• All operating manuals are available for the tenants
• Provide Agent with any warranty details
• Pre-place picture hooks in best locations
• Leave specific cleaning instructions for specific items if applicable

Compliance
• All appliances are working
• No loose railings/deck boards
• Safety Switch is installed
• Smoke alarms are compliant
• Water efficiency certificate
• Current pool safety certificate
• All window locks & doors are working and provide effective security
• All windows, doors & cupboards open/close
• 3 x full sets of keys
• If the property is a unit, body corporate by-laws provided