FAQ

What are the objectives for Aussie Renters and why this way of doing business? 

The second question is easy to answer and it’s because Australian renters have been left in the dark when it comes to tenancy issues. Our objective is to equip you with your rights and at the same time, show you a way to keep an accurate record of all your interactions regarding the property. The landlord is running a business and every business I know functions on correspondence and a letter cannot be ignored. Having that piece of paper arrive in the mail means they will have to do something with it. We believe our letters will get the action you require. 

Why become a member?

Easy, so we can keep you up to date with what is happening in your state and help you and your family with their rental affairs. When the legislation changes, we will be the first ones to tell you as well as blogging information that might help with your tenancy. We will not be sharing any of your details with a third party, your membership will stay confidential with us. We want to help by supporting families while they are in rental properties throughout Australia, whether newly arrived or moving out of home for the first time. 

What will Aussie Renters ask from its members?

As Aussie Renters grows we plan to connect you with the government agencies that will ultimately make a difference with your renting future. We frequently see the Tenants’ Unions asking for renters to complete questionnaires which they will use to help push for legislation changes. By promoting Aussie Renters, we hope to offer a direct line of contact so you can have your say and help by supporting your local Tenants’ Union.  

Long term tenancy is one goal Aussie Renters is fighting for. Each state or territory have their own legislation which can be dramatically different to the way others rent in Australia. For instance, in the ACT legislation has changed requiring the landlord to provide 26 weeks’ notice to vacate using the “no reason” option. That is six months from when you receive your eviction notice, while in the NT it’s 2 weeks! Aussie Renters would like to see this happen nationwide as it will help with the retaliation evictions. So will our file note system.

Can I change personal and tenant details?

Yes by logging in, you can change your details. Make sure you make a note in your File Note Register for future reference. 

What information will be shared with others?

We will not be sharing your information with others but will ask (in the future) you to complete surveys, releasing it to the Tenants’ Unions and preparing statistics to share with other Aussie Renters. We will ensure your identity stays confidential.  

An example will be: Leaving your property? Did you use a bond cleaning service, did you use Australia Post redirection service, how your rental application forms were obtained or did you going online and use 1Form for your application? Did you use the well known websites for your search like realestate.com.au or domain.com.au when looking at homes for rent and did you find our list of websites helpful? We were surprised to find properties on eBay and Gumtree!

What information will be gathered to share statistics and trends with other members?

Aussie Renters is all about helping the community and once the surveys commence, we want to share the data with you and the community. By gathering the information we hope to highlight future trends and believe our data will encourage you to fight for your bond refund.   

We believe some landlords are using the exact same ‘issues’ with every tenant therefore if everyone records the ‘issues’ then a trend begins to emerge. This is what you will see in the future, trends that will assist you in making your next move.

Can I change or amend the letters supplied by Aussie Renters?

Yes please feel free to make changes, add paragraphs, tailor make the letter to suit. The letters have been written professionally and if you need further help writting a suitable letter, we can offer assistance for $15 per letter. You can use as many letters and download all our packs to help with your tenancy.

Do I need to save a copy?

Yes you should save a copy on your computer and we will teach you how to link your saved document to the File Note Register for instant retrieval. We also recommend you print them out and file the hard copy letter with the file note stapled on the front, giving you a page to make notes on or writing additional information.  

We have instructions of how to set up our unique system that you can rely on, in the event of a bond refund dispute. We will also show you how to gather the relevant evidence for making application at the Tribunal/Magistrates Court. We are here to help!

How do I get started?

Register to become a member! Our membership fee has been kept to a minimum and once you are a member, you can download everything we have on offer. You will not be required to pay anything more, unless you want us to do the printing and posting!   

When will future upgrades and professional reports be available?

We have released New South Wales with the introduction of our website and anticipate releasing other states/territories as they are prepared. These will take time to release and once Australia is complete, our reports will become available. As we release a new state/territory, we will publish the release via Facebook and our blog.   

What professional reports will be on offer to the members?

Data is a great thing and when you know how to use it and use it well, many things can be created. The Independent Condition Report will present a clear reflection of the residential premises upon entry (or exit) and a great way to initiate business with the landlord, an introduction to the way you do business. The report will be written professionally, highlighting any issues or discrepancies you have found as well as stating the water meter read, how many keys or devices you received with a place to add a picture showing the problem or an issue that requires remedying. 

How will Aussie Renters help their members in taking action?

We intend to help by showing you a way to manage the paperwork, how to run your tenancy like a business with all your correspondence available at the click of the mouse. With our help files we can make moving property a bit easier and hopefully less stressful. Imagine your oven not working in a brand new home and now after moving, totally exhausted, you have the inconvenience of keeping on the landlord’s case to fix the oven. Our emergency/urgent repair letter will do precisely that and we believe it will make the request a bit more official. The legislation continually states for “written requests” so logging onto the agent’s website and processing your request is not sufficient. And you will learn more about your rights along the way.

The same goes for any fight in a higher jurisdiction, at the Civil and Administrative Tribunal e.g. QCAT, VCAT, NCAT etc or the Magistrates Court in Tasmania. We will be designing a document to take all the work out of your application, by presenting your case supported by your tenancy history as well as letting you know what evidence you will need. We even include the applicable section of the legislation you will be making your application under!

We believe more Aussie Renters will fight for the bond refunds instead of believing it is too hard. The beauty of these courts are the “self-representation” aspect meaning you do not require a solicitor, you can speak directly to the Tribunal Member or the Magistrate without having to know everything about the law! They are set up for the people of Australia to represent themselves as long as you have the right evidence to support your case. Also, statistics show if action is taken, it is highly favourable for the tenant as the landlord will not contest it, unless they have a case with the evidence to back it up. If you are being unfairly dealt with, we are here to help.