Dawn-D

Just to add, you can look up what ID you can use by going on to a realestates page and most of them have a downloadable application form which will tell you what you need!

Dawn

perksy

Cheers Dawn, I'll have a quick look at some of the agents application forms to see whats required.

Just one thing.......whats a tax return??


Only joking

Thanks again

Dawn-D

dmpp

You don't need rental history to rent in OZ but the best advice I can give through finding a rental property in Sydney is to be prepared. A lot of agents don't do private viewings, only open houses so there may be 20+ people viewing the same property.

eg. have the rental form already filled in
the bigger deposit the better, 4 weeks bond and 3 months, stated on the application form as you don't hand funds over on the viewing
photo copies of id, driving licence, passport(photo/visa pages)
photo copies of contract of employment and latest pay slip
get to know the agent through other viewings, it works wonders as they will remember you and your application is then at the top of the pile

Deutschmaster

Yes, I had that in Melbourne at the end of 2007. I'd go in to a agent. There'd be 2 or 3 suitable properties (i.e. cheapest 1 or 2 bedroom) with a list of people as long as your arm wanting to see it. Or it was about turning up first thing to an agency office to collect the keys and it would be a mad scramble to see the place and be back before the other 2 or 3 folks who had the same idea.

The agents do point scoring on you then send the applications to the landlord who chooses one. Unfortunately having a previous rental here and being able to produce old rental receipts counted for 50 points - out of 100. So despite having ID and showing a job contract (to convince them that I had the means of paying) I wouldn't have had the most points. I can understand the landlords view that they're only going to make a choice from the top couple of applications.

I was extremely luck to get my place as they had had a cancellation at the last moment and I just happened to be there at the right time. Another way to beat the impersonal points system is to make friends here and ask around. If they like you then it makes it easier. But thats a bit of a problem to do until you are actually here. I was talking to a Kiwi who was having problems finding a room near Melbourne CBD - too many other applicants even for that! He was lucky to stumble across a room in a house full of other enzedders who mumbled something along the lines of 'this is an Aussie free zone' and let him move in just from that. Also a Ukrainian friend of mine managed to chum up to a Ukrainian rental agent who helped him a bit.

It's tight at the cheaper end of the market. Somebody I know was trying to rent out a house at $450 a week in the North of Melbourne and they didn't have any takers.

Don't know how different, or similar, the Brisbane market is tho.

Dawn-D

I was led to believe by all the agents I contacted that you needed 100 ID points before you could apply but that these points could be gathered from a range of ID like passport, wage slips, bank statements, driving license, references and each one gives you 'x' amount of points that get you to the 100

Maybe it is a different system in Melbourne but here in Queensland this is what I had to do in October to secure a rental for November. However I don't think there was a long list of people wanting this property and we took it out of desperation of needing somewhere to live asap.......which we are now living to regret Thankfully it's only for 6 months and then we can start the mad panic searching again

Deutschmaster

Perhaps it's different then. Although by mentioning 'ID' points are we talking about the same thing? I needed my passport to prove who I was. The point scoring the agents do here is to grade how good a tenant you are likely to be, so they look at previous rental history, whether you have a job etc.

Dawn-D

Sorry, not sure if it's the same thing! Was just told that I'd need to pass the 100 points ID checker to apply..... that's both myself and my husband needed to. I do know that on agency web sites they have the downloadable application forms which tells you what you can use to get your 100 points! I think one was previous rental receipts but as we had never rented before we highlighted our direct debit for our mortgage on our bank statements and they accepted that

I've also been told that each state here can have different laws though, so maybe it is different depending on where you are. I'd just say the best thing to do is look on each agents web page and see what they require.....this is what we did from the uk by going on www.realestate.com.au and we actually applied on line and scanned and sent across all our ID and then a friend on here (thanks Trish) actually viewed the property on our behalf!

Dawn

Dawn-D

Good tip, I'll try that out at the end of my current tennancy in April when I'm looking for a new place!

Dawn

wullieb1

All i needed for my first rental was the application form and the bond money.

Same for the 2nd

Dawn-D

That's brilliant.....which part of oz are you in?

wullieb1

Stayed in Mt Gravatt East first then moved to Carindale after that. They are in Brisbane BTW

Dawn-D

Well that's in Queensland too, so who know's how it all works then Just know that all the one's in Townsville ask for the 100 ID points with the application