Ep80: Sophie Lyon - Signing a Tenancy Agreement - What to Look Out For

A Residential Tenancy Agreement is a pretty important document, and quite daunting if renting a property for the first time. Today we are going through all the intricacies of signing a tenancy agreement with the lovely Sophie Lyon. 

Sophie Lyon has worked in property management for more than 30 years, and is currently the Director and General Manager of Property Management at Jellis Craig Boroondara. Sophie is actively involved as a Director of the REIV and is an accredited trainer currently focusing on delivering training for the new Residential Tenancies Act. 

1. Say I'm 20 something, my parents have never rented so they have no idea, and I want to rent my own place for the very first time in my life. Scary, but exciting at the same time. There is so much paperwork! What are some of the main things renters don't realise are their obligation when signing a tenancy agreement?

2. What's the go with light bulbs and smoke alarms now?

3. In your experience, what wording in the contract has been confusing to tenants?

4. What part of the contract should tenants pay special attention to?

5. What extra conditions can a landlord impose on a tenancy?

6. How often can my rent be increased?

7. How often can the property manager/landlord do a routine inspection?

    a). If the property manager writes in the contract that it's more often, can we dispute that?

8. Can we negotiate any of the terms and conditions in the contract?

9. I've rented a few times in my life, and I've always chosen to go month-to-month rather than sign a new contract each year. I've found my rent rarely goes up if I do it this way, where friends who want the security of a 12 month or 2 year lease have their rent increased every time they sign a new lease. To me, month-to-month goes under the radar, as long as you pay every month. Is this still possible under the new legislation?

 

For your property management needs:

CONTACT SOPHIE at Jellis Craig - Boroondara.

Phone: (03) 9810 5053

Website: jelliscraig.com.au

 

 

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