When things go wrong in a rental

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In a perfect world, you’d rent out your property, nothing would break, the residents would stay for the long-term and the rent would roll in with no dramas.

But sadly, that’s not always how things work. Sometimes things go wrong. Maybe the renter doesn’t honour their obligations, maybe something gets damaged, maybe their relationship breaks down and they need to break the agreement.

It’s when situations like this arise that a great property manager can be worth their weight in gold, effortlessly navigating the muddy and unfortunate waters that can arise when things go wrong in a rental.

Here are just some examples of potential problems and how a great property manager can assist…

Unpaid rent

Unpaid rent is considered a serious breach of a rental agreement, and it’s something a good property manager will be on top of from the outset, using systems and procedures to track any renters who are falling behind in their rental payments.

They will then seek to remedy the situation before issuing a breach notice before and taking further action that may include:

• Seeking an order to have the renters vacate the property
• Claiming unpaid rent from the bond
• Seeking an order with the relevant tenancy authority to have the outstanding rental amount repaid.

Property damage

Whether it’s accidental, due to negligence or the result of a natural disaster, a key part of a property manager’s role is about preventing and identifying damage to a rental property.

And again, this starts with having solid systems and procedures in place, including:

• Good renter screening
• Routine inspections
• Easily accessed maintenance and repair request forms
• Open communication

If a property has been damaged, a good property manager will attempt to quickly work out what’s occurred, why it’s happened and then seek to have the problem repaired and fixed as soon as possible.

Repairs and maintenance

On a similar note, staying on top of repairs and routine maintenance protects the value of a rental property and also helps reduce renter turnover.

A good property manager will handle repair requests with ease, liaising with the renter, property owner and tradespeople.

They will also be proactive about routine maintenance that may include:

• Annual gutter cleans
• Tree trimming
• Pest control
• Air-conditioner servicing

Early exits

Sometimes life just happens, and a renter’s situation may change, meaning they need to exit their rental agreement earlier than expected.

If that’s the case, a good property manager will work with the owner and renter to ensure the property is re-rented as quickly as possible.

Breached agreements

A good property manager knows the rental law like the back of their hand, including both the owner and renter’s rights and responsibilities.

They will work to uphold that law. If either the owner or renter is in breach of their agreement, the property manager will openly communicate with the person involved, work to remedy the problem, and also seek to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

How we can help

Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.

We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.

Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.

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