Hi,

My wife and I have been renting this property since 9 months ago (QLD). Our fixed term contract lapsed into a periodic contract three months ago.

Now she wants to return to her home country to visit her mother and be with family. I will accompany her, but only for 2 weeks as I have to return to Australia soon.

By the time she returns to Australia, I will have probably vacated this property.

Now considering the fact that both my name and my wife's name are in the lease agreement as tenants, what measures we should take before she leaves Australia so I can vacate the property without trouble when she is not in Australia?

Is completing the form "Change of shared bond arrangement" the only thing we should before she leaves Australia?

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/zone_files/forms/06_form6.pdf

Thanks!

Make sure you give the right notice in writing (both of you) and both sign the bond form.

Would be sure in NSW but think you have the right site to check out in QLD

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/when_the_tenant_moves_out.cfm

Thank you scotty, but I will continue renting the same property until September. My question was about the things my wife and I should do before she leaves Australia, so there is no need for Notice of intention to leave the property.

I only wanted to know what my wife should do before she leaves Australia so I can easily vacate the property in September. In fact I know what to do in September, I don't know what to do now!

Are you through an agent? I would ring them and ask. I would imagine that her name comes off the lease so that you are then the only person left to vacate the property in September. Thus can do that solo in September.

Be warned as the agents may not see it as being as simple as taking her name off the lease.

Personal experience in Queensland - when asking for a name to come of a joint lease a couple of years back, the agent said the person remaining on it would have to sign a new lease, as the person coming off would need to get their share of the bond back as soon as they ceased to be on the lease.
Hence the person remaining on it would then have to pay the extra bond in their name when signing the new lease - it couldn't just be transferred.

Dear Pollyana,

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Do you happen to remember if RTA had a form_06 at that time?

http://www.rta.qld.gov.au/form_06.cfm

I am asking this because it seems that the form_06 would have solved your problem?

No idea. The agent wasn't willing to entertain a change on the lease without a new one being signed and it was easier for me to just stay on it till it expired 3 months later than to go into battle with them.

If we don't take my wife's name off the lease, what will happen? Will I not be able to vacate the property without her being present?

I wasn't there when my ex vacated the property. I was sent the papers in the mail and received the bind back straight into my bank account. In your shoes personally I wouldn't worry about taking her off. She's just on holiday when the lease expires, thats all. If she needs to sign anything it can be done by mail, or by scan and email.