Renting tools and checklist

Forms and notices

• Notices and forms 
  • Please also refer to our Counting days page about allowing time for notices.  Flowcharts have been developed to help you understand counting days. 
• Infringements for lessors

General renting publications

• Bond Administration
• Boarders and lodgers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Minimum security requirements
• Rent increases

Landlords'/Lessors' publications and tools

• Landlord's bulletins list - subscribe now!
• Renting out your property – a lessor's guide
• You and your property manager
• Investment property ownership factsheet
• Cannabis grow house fact sheet
• Owning a strata property 
• Landlords eLearning – check your understanding of the law

Tenants' publications and tools

• Tenant's bulletins list - subscribe now!
• Tenant's guide series:
  • Looking for a rental home - Tenant's guide 1
  • Living in a rental home - Tenant's guide 2
  • Leaving a rental home - Tenant's guide 3
  • Getting help with rental home problems - Tenant's guide 4

Guides and videos

• Watch our getting started, moving in and ending a tenancy video guides. 

• Ensure you have adequate funds set aside to meet unexpected costs such as repairs to the property or to cover times when no rent may be coming in. 
• Decide whether to use an agent or whether you are confident enough to manage it yourself. 
• Choose your tenants carefully.
  • If you use a tenancy database, let prospective tenants know and comply with the rules for listing tenants and updating information about tenants.
  • Sight original copies of driver's licences used for identification. Check if the driver's licence is authentic by doing a demerit point check online using the following links:
    • Department of Transport WA - Driver's demerit point enquiry 
    • Queensland Government - Check demerit points 
    • NSW State Government - Check demerit point service
    • South Australian Government - Demerit points
    • Vic Roads, Victorian Government - Check demerit points
    • Tasmanian Government - Demerit points
• Decide whether you are going to offer a periodic or fixed-term tenancy. 

• Make sure you use a prescribed tenancy agreement. 
• You must give your tenant a copy of the information for tenants' form, either 
  • Tenants with written agreement Form 1AC: Information for tenant; or
  • Tenants with verbal agreement Form 1AD: Information for tenant with non-written residential tenancy agreements.
• Make sure the property is in good condition and ready for your tenant to move in. 
• You must complete a property condition report containing the minimum information contained in Form 1: Property condition report within seven days of the start of the tenancy and provide two copies to the tenant. Spend time and effort on the property condition report. It can save a lot of disagreements and heartache later. 
• Provide the tenant with a receipt when you receive the bond.
• Lodge the bond money with the Bond Administrator as soon as possible and within 14 days of receiving it from the tenant. 

• Remember your tenant’s rights, especially to quiet enjoyment of the property. In those circumstances where the lessor may enter the rental premises you must use Form 19 – Notice of proposed entry to premises and provide the correct amount of notice to the tenant. 
• Respond promptly to any requests for maintenance and repairs that are your responsibility, particularly urgent and essential repairs.   You are required to arrange repairs with a suitably qualified repairer within 24 hours of being notified of repairs required to restore an essential service and 48 hours for urgent repairs.
• Deal promptly and fairly with any disputes and be prepared to negotiate a compromise solution. 
• If the rent falls into arrears take action promptly using either the process described in Chart one or Chart two.  Otherwise, the outstanding rent amount may increase, and you may not get paid.
• Make sure you know what notices to use for various procedures and allow the correct number of counting days for the notice/s.
• Make sure you know and understand the rights and responsibilities for tenants and lessors under the family and domestic violence laws. 

• Make sure you give the tenant a minimum of 30 days written notice using Form 1C if you want a fixed-term tenancy to finish on the end date.
• Give the tenant a reasonable opportunity to be present at the final inspection.
• Carry out a thorough final inspection, discuss sensibly any items of dispute with your tenant and provide them with a copy of the final property condition report within 14 days of the tenancy ending.   
• If you have to go to court, make sure you understand the procedures and prepare your case well. For more information see Going to court.

Family violence

Laws have changed to help keep everyone safe, family violence prevention page provides information about the development of the laws regarding tenants' rights in family violence situations.  Keep up to date by subscribing to one of our bulletins. 

Other information

Check important safety items: 

• Safety switches (RCDs)
• Smoke alarms for rental properties
• Electrical wiring 
• Curtain and blind cords/chains
• Pool fencing and portable pool safety
• Plumbing 
• Safety glass (in bathroom, for example) 
• Security of rental premises 

• Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (State Law Publisher)
• Residential Tenancies Regulations 1989 (State Law Publisher)