Renting a Nelson Alexander Property

What to know when renting a Nelson Alexander Property.

Welcome to the Nelson Alexander network – The following information is provided for your assistance when moving into your new home and for the ongoing relationship you will develop with Nelson Alexander.

Payment of Rent

The rent must be paid by the due date and one month in advance – your rental payments are to be made either by DEFT or Bpay. Cash payments will not be accepted at any of our offices.

If the lease is in joint or multiple names, all parties to it are individually and jointly responsible. In other words, if the lease is in multiple names and one party does not have the funds to meet their commitment, all lease holders are responsible for the payment of rent.

If you are experiencing any difficulties in meeting your commitments, please advise your Property Manager.

Please remember our landlords have financial commitments to meet and they rely on rent being paid on time.

Management

Your property is dealt with specifically by one of our fully trained property managers at the office where your tenancy commenced. Your Property Manager will handle all aspects of your tenancy including maintenance, inspections and termination of your tenancy.

Documents

The Tenancy Agreement and Condition Report are legal documents and it is suggested that you retain them in a safe place during your tenancy. You may need to produce them at some time in the future to establish any claim you may have.

Condition Report

This document is as important as the signed Tenancy Agreement as it establishes the condition of the property at the commencement of your tenancy and will be used as a comparison at the end of your tenancy as the basis on which your bond is refunded.

Please check it and amend it as necessary. You have three (3) working days after the commencement of your tenancy to complete, sign and return it to the office. If you neglect to return a signed copy of this report, you could forfeit your right to object if there is a disagreement at the end of your tenancy.

Services

Connection of services such as gas, electricity, telephone and water are your responsibility.

Contact Details

Please advise your Property Manager of the telephone number at the property when you have it connected. Also, should you change your mobile, work telephone number or email during your tenancy, please advise your Property Manager of your new contact details.

There are various reasons you may need to be contacted throughout your tenancy by your Property Manager, such as repairs – so this information is vital.

Insurance

It is not your landlord’s responsibility to insure your possessions. The landlord’s insurance policy covers only the building plus any fixtures and fittings. With the ever increasing incidence of burglary and theft, we strongly recommend that you take out contents insurance.

Keys

It is your responsibility to return all keys to the property to our office at the end of your tenancy. If you change any locks during your tenancy, it is a provision of the Residential Tenancies Act, 1997 that you supply our office with a key.

Maintenance and Repairs

All maintenance and repairs will be dealt with as required. We have a fully trained team of tradespeople whose workmanship and integrity is guaranteed by our company. When maintenance is requested, our tradespeople will attend your property either by appointment with yourself or by using our office key.

Weekend or After Hours Maintenance

Should you have after hours urgent maintenance, please contact your Property Manager/and or follow advised urgent repair procedure as indicated by your Property Manager at the commencement of your tenancy.

Please note that in the case of an emergency, the Residential Tenancy Act of 1997 allows you to organise urgent repairs on weekends or if you are unable to contact your Property Manager. Urgent repairs are: burst water pipes, gas leakage, electrical fault or something that threatens life.

Rubbish

All rubbish must be placed in correct bins. Rubbish placed in boxes or bags will NOT be collected by the council and this then causes problems with vermin etc.

Inspections

Your Property Manager inspects your property at six monthly intervals, usually after the first three months of the tenancy and then on six monthly intervals. You are welcome to be in attendance at this inspection, or if you cannot attend, your Property Manager will use the office key to gain entry.

Change of Tenant

The landlord has approved the tenancy in your name. If a new tenant wants to occupy the property, their application must be similarly approved and an administration fee paid prior to transferring the tenancy to another party.

Any change in occupant could affect the bond refund process when you vacate. It is imperative that you follow the lease assignment procedure and paperwork to facilitate a smooth finalisation of tenancy for all parties.

Communication

Most of the problems experienced by tenants, landlords and property managers can be overcome by prompt and honest communication. It is the tenant’s major responsibility to keep the property clean and to meet their financial obligations; it is the landlord’s major responsibility to see that the property is maintained to ensure the tenant has peaceful enjoyment; and it is the property manager’s duty to oversee the process. This can only be done with effective communication from all parties.

Your Property Manager is here to assist you during your tenancy. Please direct any problems or queries you may have to your Property Manager.

Ending the Tenancy

The Residential Tenancies Act, 1997 is explicit about how a tenancy ends. It can only occur when one of the parties of the Tenancy Agreement gives notice to the other party.

If you want to vacate the property at the end of the Tenancy Agreement you must give written notice twenty eight (28) days beforehand.

If you want to vacate during the term of the Tenancy Agreement, you will be breaking the contract you have entered into and therefore are responsible for reimbursing the landlord for any loss suffered e.g. rent until the property is again tenanted plus the landlord’s normal costs in re-letting. These are usually:

• All advertising and marketing expenses incurred
• A portion of the letting fee being a percentage of the average annual rent based upon the unexpired period of the Agreement (e.g. if you have five (5) months of the Agreement left, you would pay five twelfths of the letting fee)

Refund of bond

Nelson Alexander will always refund the bond to a tenant if the property is left clean and tidy and no rubbish or other articles are left behind. The property is to be left in the same condition as when you, as the tenant, first moved in (as detailed in Condition Report).