Property Management Newsletter
Autumn 2025 Edition
Ray White Canberra
Autumn Edition
Welcome to our Autumn Investor Update
The life of a property manager has never been busier – with ongoing changes to legislation, evolving market conditions, and the need to stay ahead for our clients, it’s a season of both challenges and opportunity. We’re proud to be navigating it all with you.
In this edition, we’ve packed in a range of timely and valuable content designed to support and inform your investment journey You’ll find:
An introduction to our team – putting faces to the names behind your property
Current market insights and CPI analysis
Everything you need to know about Section 119 certificates
Tips to prepare your investment property for the new financial year
Safety updates on lithium-ion batteries and storage
An exclusive invitation to view The Grande on London display suite
Ailo tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the platform
Practical advice to help winter-proof your investment property
We’re grateful for the continued trust you place in us to manage your investments. If you’d like to discuss any of the topics in more detail, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly or get in touch with your Relationship Manager.
Warm regards,
Lisa Hyland
CEO Property Management
lisa.hyland@raywhite.com
Meet the team!
Relationship Managers
Annette Thompson
Camilla Dewi
Leisa Stewart Montana Pratt
Hazel Huang
Laura Oliver
Ada Chen
Toni Kelleher
Brittinee Smith
Helen West
Alan Lyu
Amber Bateman
Amelia Wishart
Tabatha Kingi
Kim Paxton
Hannah Botto
Team Leaders
Management Team
Lisa Hyland CEO
Amanda Howell General Manager
Lisa Donnellan General Manager Operations
Brendan Halls
Lauren Everett
Chrstine Pfeiffer
Emily Larsen
Chloe Riles
Gerard Northey General Manager Growth
Leonie Barker
Rikki Turnbull
Lesley Cloake Geniveve Condell
Canberra Market Update
Canberra rents picked up in the last quarter of 2024 as the national capital moved into the seasonal changeover period for public servants and students, but the annual rise of 2.6 per cent was the weakest in the nation
While rents for both houses and units remain among the highest in the country, Canberra has been a triumph of supply over demand, particularly in the units sector, as tenants in other capital cities faced steepling rises in the past few years.
CoreLogic’s Quarterly Rental review said that surge started to dissipate in 2024, with annual growth falling from 9 5 per cent in 2022 and 8 1 per cent in 2023 to 4 8 per cent over 2024
To read the full Corelogic Quarterly Rental Review Report, please see below.
Full Report Here
To read the most recent Ray White data on the property market, please see below
Ray White Now
Consumer Price Index
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publishes quarterly consumer price index (CPI) data, which measures household inflation and includes statistics about price changes for categories of household expenditure The Rents series in the CPI reflects changes to actual rents paid, rather than advertised rental prices.
CPI Rents Canberra for the last 4 quarters is as below.
Rent increases in Canberra are calculated using this data which provides the prescribed amount permitted. Below is information on how this is calculated.
Calculate the percentage increase in the index number over the period since the last rental rate increase (‘PI’)
Add PI divided by 10 (PI + (PI/10) to give the prescribed amount.
If proposed increase is greater than the prescribed amount, the landlord must give eight weeks’ notice to the tenant that:
a) The amount of the increase is greater than the prescribed amount; and
b) If the tenant does not agree to the increase, the landlord may only make the proposed increase with the prior approval of the Tribunal.
Rent increase: example
1. Last date of rental increase: June 2018
2. CPI report for rents component for Canberra for June 2018: 104.0
3. CPI report for rents component for Canberra for June 2019: 107.3
4. 107.3 – 104.0 = 3.3
5 3 3 / 104 0 = 3 17%
6. 3.17 + (3.17/10) = 3.49%.
7. Therefore, the prescribed amount is an increase of 3.49%
S119 Certificates
A Section 119 certificate is a crucial document for any property under a unit plan, as it is required for both new tenancies and lease renewals.
The certificate which costs $332 is valid for 5 years, playing a vital role in ensuring compliance with tenancy laws. It is an essential prerequisite for signing any fixed-term tenancy agreement, and without it, you cannot legally formalise a lease
Beyond its immediate necessity for new leases, the Section 119 certificate can also be invaluable in minimising your vacancy period should a tenant decide to break their lease early
By approving us to order this certificate, you are not only ensuring that you are legally covered for upcoming tenancy agreements but also safeguarding your property’s rental income and avoiding unnecessary delays in leasing.
Prepare your investment property for the new financial year
At the start of the new financial year, property investors have a valuable chance to review and enhance their investment approaches. Here are some ways to effectively gear up for the new financial year
Know the important tax dates
Investors who are lodging their tax return through an accountant must lodge the previous year’s return by 15 May. 30 June marks the end of the financial year, which is the cut off date to which investors can pay expenses and claim those costs in this year’s return Investors lodging their tax return through the ATO’s online portal must lodge their return by October 31.
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Ensure that all expenses are prepaid before this date to be eligible for claiming them in the same year
Keep records
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One of the most important steps is to keep detailed records of all income and expenses associated with the property. Records should include rental income, mortgage payments, council and land taxes, insurance, costs of repairs and maintenance, and any other expenses related to the property.
Know which deductions you can claim
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There are several deductions available to property investors which can improve cash flow significantly come tax time. Understanding which deductions you’re eligible for and how to maximise them, can help reduce your taxable income and lower potential tax liabilities.
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It’s important to note that expenses can only be deducted if they are directly related to an investment property.
Prepay expenses
To claim costs in the same financial year all expenses, including repairs and maintenance, interest, insurance, tax depreciation schedules, and ongoing expenses, must be paid before 30 June.
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Keeping records supports claims for deductions and will help you and your accountant prepare for the new financial year.
Go through an accountant
While you can prepare your own tax return, the process can be quite complex. Therefore, it’s often advisable to seek assistance from a qualified accountant. Accountants play a crucial role in helping people navigate intricate tax laws and ensure that all eligible claims are maximised and accurately filed.
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Prepare your investment property for the new financial year
Maximise deductions with depreciation
The ATO allows owners of income-producing properties to claim a tax deduction for the wear and tear of the property and its assets over time.
Depreciation is claimable under two categories Capital works (Division 43) deductions are claimable on the building’s structure and permanent assets Plant and equipment (Division 40) depreciation is claimable on the easily removable or mechanical assets.
Investors wanting to maximise deductions and lower their taxable income should be claiming depreciation Claiming depreciation allows investors to recoup a portion of the costs associated with owning and maintaining an investment property
Because depreciation is the only non-cash deduction available to investors, no money needs to be spent to claim it.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
There have been increasing reports of house fires caused by lithium-ion batteries these are the batteries contained in e-scooters, mobile phones and laptops. The insurance industry is currently reviewing their position on cover for home and contents, and it is anticipated that there will be some companies that exclude or charge higher premiums to cover fire damage started by batteries.
We would advise you to check your Home/Contents and Landlord Insurance Policy Disclosure Statements when renewing to ensure they are covered.
Ailo Tips
Manually transfer funds to your bank account - one off payment
1. Select the Portfolio wallet tab.
2 If there are funds available, select Transfer and select the wallet you want to withdraw funds from.
3. Tap on Transfer Now.
4. Enter how much from your available balance you want to transfer.
5. Check that you've selected the correct bank account or tap Change to select a different one
6. Tap Transfer to finalise the transfer
Set up an automatic transfer to your bank account
1. Go to your Portfolio wallet tab.
2. Select Setup Auto Transfer.
3 Select one or more bank accounts If you selected more than one, on the next screen you can specify a percentage of your wallet balance that should go to each bank account. You can split between up to 5 bank accounts. Talk to Ailo Support if you ever need more than 5!
4. Select frequency daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or multiple times during the month and other details of your new Auto Transfer
5. If you don’t already have Auto Pay Bills set up for this property, you will be prompted to decide if you want to set this up.
6. When you reach the final screen you will see the payment destination and all of your new selections (note: you can change the destination bank accounts here if you wish)
7. Tap on Save.
Manually pay a bill from external funds
You can choose to pay your bills by Credit card, Debit card or by direct debit. To manually pay your bills when they are received: Select Bills tab and select the bill you would like to pay. When you’re ready to pay, tap Approve & Pay. You can choose your payment method from the list or update your payment method Select Pay.
Ailo Tips
Even though you are paying the bill from external funds, the amount will be added to your EOFY statement, removing the need for you to keep your own records. All of your income and expenditure is in one easy location!
Adding a payment method
1. Adding a payment method is super simple, all you need to do is:
2. Tap on the Profile button (person icon) on the top right corner.
3. Select Payment Methods and select Add Payment Method.
4. Choose your preferred payment method:
5 Credit Card or Debit Card
6. Enter all of your details (Cardholder name, Card number, Expiry date, and Security code CVV) before tapping Add Card
7. Bank Account
8. Enter your details (Account name, BSB number, Account number) before tapping Add Bank Account
*If your account number has 5 digits, add a 0 before the first number.
Rent payment processing times
When your Renter pays rent, the payment will show as Bank processing until the payment clears. The time it takes to clear can depend on how they paid as well as the Renter's bank.
If rent was paid with a credit or debit card, the funds will be deducted instantly from the renter and will be available in your Wallet within 2 hours. If rent was paid using direct debit it
can take up to 3 banking days.
This rent still going through clearance will show as a closing balance on your end of month statement
Prepare your Investment for Winter
As an investor, it’s important not to underestimate the pivotal role that property maintenance plays in keeping your investment costs down and protecting your longterm wealth Along with keeping your tenants satisfied, maintaining your property and resolving any problems early on may help you avoid costly damage that could harm your profit potential.
While property maintenance should be a year-round priority, it is especially crucial during the winter months. The harsher winter weather can expose problems that may not have been visible during the warmer months, and minor damage can quickly escalate into a serious issue with heavy rains and storms. To safeguard your investment property we have shared some winter maintenance checks you should consider;
Inspect for wear and tear
Winter provides an opportunity for property investors to detect issues that may have gone unnoticed during warmer seasons, such as minor leaks in gutters and roofs. If left unattended, concerns such as water leaks can result in costly damages including mould growth, water stains, and damaged walls
Clean your gutters
During warmer months, gutters tend to accumulate leaves and debris. However, as the weather worsens, this build-up can lead to more significant problems. To prevent blocked gutters from causing water damage to your investment property we recommend a professional gutter clean to ensure the proper diversion of rainwater
Check heating systems
As heating systems are left unused through the summer months, the increased usage and change in temperature often brings to light maintenance issues. It is an excellent time to arrange an annual service for your air conditioning system to try and avoid urgent maintenance items once winter hits Moreover, wetter weather can create ideal conditions for the growth of mould. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that exhaust fans are functioning correctly to maintain proper ventilation throughout the property.
If you are wanting to organise these checks, please contact your relationship manager and they will organise this for you
Whetherit’sasplitoraductedsystem, annualinspectionshelpreduceexpensive, unplannedcosts.Preventativemaintenance ensuresefficientandcosteffectiveheating toyourproperty.
TheNumber1causeoffiresinthehome areelectricalfaults.Aninspectionby LevelElectrical&Aircanhighlightany potentialdangers,recommendsolutions andreduceyourrisk!
What’sIncluded
SplitandDuctedSystemInclusions
Testoutputtemperturesarewithin manufacturersspecification. Checkallmechanicalpartsarerunningto manufacturersspecifications. Usecleanerdisinfectantoncoils Splitsystemcovercleanandsanitise.
Condenasatepananddrainflush. Filterclean,sanitiseanddisinfect.
Conditionreport.
$99peradditionalsystemcheckedon samevisit.
$66peradditionalindoorheadunitson splitsystems.
Chemicalhygienedeepcleanwillbe quotedasrequired
Replacementoffaultypartsarenotincludedand willbequotedpriortorepairsbeingcompleted
GasAppliances
Carbonmonoxidetest
Cleanthefanassemblyofdustbuildup. Checkandcleantheflamesensor
Checktheigniterandadjustsparkgapswhere required
Check the capacitors are operating the motor withinspecificrange.
Testthegasburningpressureissetcorrectly.
Check the flue connection is sealed correctly.
Check the wear and tear on any electrical connections.
Testtheairflowiscorrect.
Cleanthereturnairgrillandfilter.
Ensurethereturnaircavityissealedcorrectly.
Fullfunctionoperationtest.
Conditionreport.
ElectricalSafetyInspection
Inspectionson: smokealarms; switchboard; lightsandceilingfan; tasticandexhuast; powerboardsandpowersockets;and solar.
Conditionreport.
fyshwick@levelelectricalcomau
Ray White Canberra
2/14 Wales Street, Belconnen ACT 2616 (02) 6188 4130
11/148 Scollay Street, Greenway ACT 2900 (02) 6188 4130