I need a Property Manager
Meet the RJR Property Manager.
Marie Kemp.
With nearly 20 years experience in property management, Marie has an extensive understanding of the rental industry and its legislation.
Attention to detail is important to Marie, and giving the best customer service to both our Landlords and Tenants is her priority. Add experience with and a love for bookkeeping, and this background allows her to easily explain figures and processes to our clients in a simplistic way that everyone understands.
When not at work, Marie and her husband are busy building their new dream home and enjoy being part of the Imbil community.
Contact Marie on 07 5488 6000 or send an email to Rentals@RJRproperty.com.au and let her help you.
Property Management ...
what’s the process?
It is important for every landlord to understand the Property Management process. The following points cover all the management steps in brief. However, there are more detailed explanations of some of these step on the pages that follow:
• Appraisal – on request, our Property Manager will inspect your property and provide a free rental appraisal. It will be an honest reflection of the current rental market.
• Listing -
o Management agreement – the Form 6, appointment of a resident letting agent, is the agreement that binds the agent (RJR Property) with the principal (the landlord).
o Preparing your home for letting – we give some pointers to help you present the property at its best so we can attract the right tenant.
• Marketing – when it comes to marketing rental properties, the largest audience is on the Internet. However, we cover more than just the Internet.
• Letting – finding the right tenant is the key! The right tenant will not only look after your property and pay their rent on time but will also ensure that your landlord experience is a happy one.
• Inspections – a properly prepared condition report forms the basis for all future inspections, including the one at the end of the tenancy.
• Rental payments -
o Strict control of rental payments from tenants is a critical part of the management process.
o Landlord disbursements that you can rely on and provision of monthly statements to explain the payment. That’s what you need!
• Maintenance – our team will manage any maintenance issues on your behalf, within prior agreed limits, and you will be kept fully informed.
• Lease – initial lease, renewals, re-letting and rent reviews, we cover them all!
• Other – we explain important issues including keys, smoke alarms, pool compliance, water usage, pets and more.
• Questions – we are prepared for every property management question. Just call our Property Manager, or any member of our property management team!
• The forms – good property management requires a paper trail. Everything from the start of the lease to the end of the tenancy; agency agreement, application for tenancy, lease and condition report – there’s a form for that!
Rental appraisal ...
On request, our Property Manager will inspect your property and provide a free rental appraisal. We live and work locally and manage a large portfolio of Sunshine Coast Hinterland properties on behalf of our valued clients. We know the local market! Our appraisal will be an honest reflection of the current rental market.
RJR Property have been a proud member of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland community since we first established our office in Imbil, in early 2016. Our Hinterland profile includes:
• Our office at 120 Yabba Rd Imbil –
o In a prominent position in Mary Valley’s largest village
o Electronic window displays
o Property Guide
• A highly visible billboard on the Old Bruce Highway at Federal
• Continuous monthly advertising in local magazines –
o Imbil Community News
o Mary Valley Voice
o Mary Valley Telegraph
• Sponsorship of local organisations and festivals
• For Sale & Sold signs on properties throughout the Mary Valley.
Imbil
Listing your rental property ...
the management agreement
The Form 6, appointment of a resident letting agent, is the agreement that binds the agent (RJR Property) with the principal (the landlord). This agreement allows RJR Property to act as your agent to let and manage the property.
It sets out the names of the parties (agent and landlord), details of the property and expected rental return. The agent specifies the management fees payable by the landlord and the landlord provides bank details for end of month disbursements.
The agreement also lists the conditions that the landlord would like attached to future leases. These conditions can cover a range of areas including instructions relating to pets, gardens maintenance and property usage. It covers the treatment of repairs & maintenance and the landlord’s preferred tradesmen. It is like a memorandum of understanding between the parties.
preparing your home for letting
Prior to letting your home, we advise all owners to prepare their property in such a way that it will present at its best. We are more than happy to assist you with the coordination, including recommending tradespeople to help. Just give us a call! We believe that the following items should be considered prior to letting the property:
• All gardens and lawns/grass areas should be neatly mowed and weeded
• Gutters on the house and shed should be cleaned
• Driveways should be free of oil stains
• Exterior of the property should be cobweb free and de-cluttered
• Interior of the home thoroughly cleaned including light fittings and fans
• All carpets and mats should be professionally steam cleaned
• All windows should be cleaned inside and out, including tracks
• All appliances should be in good working order
• Swimming pools to be cleaned and left in crystal clear condition
• All light bulbs to be in working order
• Pest control to be up-to-date
When the property is presented in this way we will not only attract the right tenant, but have an expectation that it will be returned in that condition at the end of the lease. It’s a job worth doing!
At RJR Property we like to do the job right, the first time!
Marketing to the largest audience ...
and the largest audience is on the Internet
The Internet is an important part of the RJR Property marketing process, with every available rental property listed on the premier sites, at a prominent level:
• The premier real estate websites are realestate.com.au and domain.com.au
realestate.com.au - Highlight Property Listing
realestate.com.au has long been recognised as Australia’s premier real estate website with more visits to the site than any other website. They are the Google of real estate searches. The Highlight Property level is the highest level for rental property listings and guarantees maximum exposure for your listing. You reach the largest audience no matter what your search.
domain.com.au - Branded Listing
domain.com.au is Australia’s second most visited real estate website. In some areas of Australia it out performs realestate.com.au. RJR Property list every available rental property on domain.com.au to extend and maximise the audience.
facebook Instagram
RJR Property post your rental property on both our Company facebook page and Instagram account to provied a social media presence.
Our own website
While the public sites provide our initial inquiry, RJR Property have a comprehensive website to help potential tenants keep in touch. On the site they can see available permanent and holiday rental properties, keep up-to-date with viewing times, make rental enquiries and existing tenants can log their maintenance requests
But that’s not all
All available rentals are featured in our Property Guide and displayed in the window at our office in Imbil. Add to that a data base of genuine prospective tenants and you have unbeatable coverage for your Hinterland rental property.
Letting the property ...
finding the right tenant is the key!
New lease or a re-let:
• After the lease (residential tenancy agreement) is signed, the tenant receives a copy and we retain the original. A copy will be forwarded to you for your files.
• The tenant is required to pay two weeks rent in advance and a bond equal to four weeks rent. The bond is lodged with the RTA and held until the tenant has vacated and the final inspection has been completed.
• Tenants who smoke are restricted to smoking outside. We include no smoking clauses in all of our leases.
• Your instructions regarding pets is clearly stipulated in the lease, so that all parties are aware of what is permitted and expected. If permissible, the tenant is responsible for the pet and any detrimental impact to the property.
• A detailed list of our preferred emergency tradespeople, and their contact details, are supplied to the tenant when the lease is signed.
• Tenants are also provided with our Tenancy Handbook outlining detailed information on each specific area. It addresses our expectations!
• There are several clauses available to be inserted in the lease, if applicable. They can cover such areas as smoking, pets, gardening and swimming pools.
• Re-letting the property is exactly the same as the initial lease.
Lease renewals:
• Our Property Manager will ensure that all lease renewals are discussed with the landlord prior to the lease expiry date.
• If the lease is to be renewed, a new residential tenancy agreement will be prepared and signed. A copy will be forwarded to you for your records.
• We will require your instructions regarding the renewal in writing.
• Landlords must provide 2 months’ notice in writing to end the tenancy while a tenant need only provide 14 days’ notice to end the tenancy provided the vacate date is not prior to the end of the fixed term.
Rent reviews:
• Legislation allows for rent to be increased a maximum of once a year. The rent will be reviewed in consultation with the landlord.
• If the rent is to be increased, the tenant must receive a minimum of two months’ notice in writing.
Tenant request to break lease:
• Usually due to unforeseen circumstances, there are times where the tenant may need to break their fixed term lease.
• The tenant remains responsible for the current rent until such time as a suitable new tenant is found and a new lease agreement commences.
• A final inspection will be conducted and the landlord will be kept fully informed.
The nuts and bolts ...
the real business of managing your property
Property inspections:
• Prospective tenants are shown the property by pre-arranged personal inspections or advertised viewing inspections. Our property management staff are in attendance at all times. No keys are handed out!
• Condition report inspections are conducted by the Property Manager prior to the commencement of the lease. A comprehensive entry condition report, together with extensive photos, is completed and a copy given to the tenant at commencement of the lease. Should the property be furnished in any way, a detailed inventory is completed and added to the condition report.
• We carry out 4 routine property inspections each year. The tenant must receive a minimum 7 days’ notice in writing prior to the inspection. A full report is forwarded to the landlord for their records. However, should there be any concerns, the landlord will be contacted immediately to discuss the required action together with our recommendations.
• At the end of the tenancy, a final condition inspection will be conducted by the Property Manager. The property must be returned in the same condition, given fair wear and tear, as it was at the commencement of the lease. Ensuring the home is immaculately cleaned and well maintained at the start of the tenancy will allow us to insist on that presentation for its return.
Maintenance and property repairs:
• We proactively manage the repairs to the property within the agreed limits, ensuring the landlord is well informed.
• Due to the professional relationship that we have with our tradespeople, we can reasonably guarantee any repairs by them, as well as the security of your home and the tenant’s belongings, when they attend.
• Please note that you have the right to specify tradespeople of your choice, provided they are qualified, licenced and able to assist at short notice.
• All repairs will be arranged via our office, where appointments will be made with the tenant prior to the tradesperson attending. No tradesperson can attend the property without prior notice.
• Copies of paid invoices will be attached to the landlord’s end of month statement and emailed for their reference.
• Should the property require upgrading or alterations, over and above ongoing repairs and maintenance, our property management team can help coordinate on behalf of the landlord.
The money ...
there is nothing more important
We discuss:
• The money coming in (rent received from the tenant), and
• The money going out (end of month disbursements to the landlord).
• We also cover rental arrears.
Tenant’s method of payment
We like to make it as easy as possible for our tenants to pay their rent, ensuring you receive your money each month. To that end, tenants are provided with our Trust Account bank details and are asked to deposit their funds directly into our account, using a unique identifier code.
We also allow tenants to come into our Imbil office to pay in person. A receipt is provided to them at that time. Should tenants pay by electronic transfer into our Trust Account, an individual receipt is not issued. However, they are able to request a payment history showing all rent payments at any time.
Rental arrears
As your agent, RJR Property have a zero tolerance for rent arrears. We aim to ensure that rent is received on time or in advance. To facilitate this, we download bank statements and receipt all payments received daily. This ensures that we remain abreast of any pending issues.
Our Property Manager is in constant contact with tenants that fail to meet our high payment standards. We use phone calls and messages, SMS reminders and emails where necessary. If all of that doesn’t work, we’ll visit the property. We pride ourselves on our results.
Disbursements and statements
All funds held in our Trust Account, after payment of authorised invoices and management fees, are electronically disbursed to your nominated bank account on the first working day of each month, as at the end of the previous month. They are cleared funds.
A monthly statement, showing all income and expenditure for each property, is either emailed or posted to you shortly after the payment has been transferred. An end of financial year summary is also completed for you identifying annual income and expenditure. This is emailed or posted to you after we have completed our end of financial year processes.
But wait there’s more ...
here are all the other items
Keys:
• We require 2 complete sets of keys for the property. The main tenant must receive a full set and each additional tenant must be provided with an access key to the front entrance and garage.
• The second full set of keys are locked away in our office.
• The keys provided to tenants are photocopied to ensure all keys are returned at the end of the lease.
• Tradespeople are required to sign for keys when using them to access the property. This ensures their safe return.
Pets:
• One of the most requested inclusions in a lease is agreement for the tenant to have a pet (or pets). In a village property this is usually a cat or dog. In a rural property it can also include stock such as horses.
• The inclusion or exclusion of pets will be covered in the lease by a pet clause.
Smoke alarms:
• Smoke alarm installation and maintenance is governed by both State and Federal Government legislation. Landlords must ensure their rental properties are correctly fitted with the required number of working smoke alarms.
• Landlords (or their agent) must test and clean each smoke alarm within 30 days prior to each tenancy change or renewal. It is also their responsibility to maintain the batteries and the alarm itself. This cost cannot be passed on to the tenant as legislation prohibits this action.
• RJR Property work with a professional company working to ensure all properties are compliant in this area.
Swimming pools:
• Pool owners must secure the pool and have a valid pool safety certificate, obtained from a licensed pool safety inspector.
• Should the pool not comply, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure immediate action to make the pool and fence compliant.
• During the tenancy, should the pool fence or gate require repair it is considered an urgent repair and must be actioned immediately.
Water usage
• Landlords are allowed to pass on full water consumption costs to the tenant if the property is water efficient.
• On rural properties it is the tenant’s responsibility to maintain their house water supply and buy water in dry times, if necessary
Property presentation ...
Less is more
We all accumulate ‘stuff’ over time. This isn’t a great look when your home is on the market for lease. The more open you can make your individual rooms look, the more spacious your home will feel to buyers. So, be ruthless and, as much as you can, pack your things away.
Freshen it up
Appeal to as many people as possible. Painting is a cost-effective way to freshen up tired or boldly coloured areas in your home. Not everyone will love your purple doors and orange walls so think neutral tones – this will also make your home look more spacious and allow tenants to picture their furniture in your house.
Smell Terrific
Inspect your home and make sure that all pet blankets and beds are washed and clean to eliminate unnecessary odors. Carpet cleaning is a cost-effective way to give your home a really clean smell and gives tenants a great first impression when inspecting.
Finally finish it
We all have those ‘one day I’ll get around to it’ projects. Now is the time to get these finished, packed up and cleaned away. Whether it’s loose door handles or towel rails, torn fly screens or dripping taps – again first impressions are everything. If you want tenants to think they just need to move in.
Make it welcoming
First impressions are key when renting! Would your home present better if you painted the front veranda or door, planted new flowers around the house or fixed the struggling grass. Little changes can give huge rewards. Make your tenants keen to see more.
To find our more about how we can help you present your property the best way, call our rental team at RJR Property.
RJR Property country ...
Discuss your requirements with our rentals team. Rural rentals ... Its a lifestyle choice!
Kenilworth
At your service ... rural real estate professionals!
• Our office – 120 Yabba Rd Imbil
We have established our office right in the middle of our market, Imbil is the largest village in the Mary Valley.
• Our staff
RJR Property is Ron’s vision. However, a business is only as good as its staff. Ron handpicked every member of his staff, and they are a team of professionals.
• Our window display
Every listing is loaded onto the electronic screen in the window of our office and displayed from 6am – 10pm, 7 days a week (almost non-stop advertising).
• Our property guide
A little book packed with a lot of information. A reference guide for both buyers & sellers. Copies are available from our Imbil office.
• Our website – www.RJRproperty.com.au
Our recently redesigned website is easy to navigate and provides valuable information about our current sale and rental listings and past sales, for all our clients.
• Our systems
Business today is electronically monitored. We have invested in the most up-to-date computer systems to control the sale or management of your property.
• Our experience
Whether it is rural sales or rentals, RJR Property have highly qualified staff, with a wealth of real estate experience, to look after all your property needs.
• Our local knowledge
Our staff are residents of the Mary Valley by choice, not by chance. We loved it so much, we stayed! And, we know the Mary Valley and the lifestyle it offers.
• Our commitment
Our team work exclusively in the Mary Valley and rural areas of both Noosa and the Sunshine Coast and are totally committed to providing the best real estate property service in the Hinterland.
Management fees and marketing ...
an all-inclusive fee!
At RJR Property we have simplified the fee structure to make it easier for you to understand and plan your finances.
We market and promote your property by showcasing the listing at the highest level. We are confident that this will attract the right inquiry, allowing us to select the perfect tenant in a timely manner.
Our goal is to rent your property to the right tenant, the first time and commence generating income for you as soon as possible.
Fee structure …
Management fee – the fee percentage will be disclosed in Part 7 on page 4 of the Form 6, appointment of a resident letting agent. This is the agreement between the principal (the Landlord) and the agent (RJR Property).
• Letting fee – no additional charge
• Re-letting fee – no additional charge
• Administration fee
• Advertising fee:
o realestate.com.au
o domain.com.au
o RJRproperty.com
o Office window display
o Property Guide
o For Lease sign
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
– no additional charge
• Routine inspections – no additional charge
• Rent increases
– no additional charge
• Tenant viewings – no additional charge
• Managing repairs and maintenance – no additional charge
• Attending Residential Tenancy Tribunal – no additional charge
• Submitting insurance claims – no additional charge
There are no surprises in our fee structure.
Our guanantee ... the RJR Property standard of customer service!
At RJR Property, we are a team of professionals!
A commitment made by one member of our team, whether that is the Principal, our sales staff, our property management department or the support staff, is a commitment made by RJR Property. And you can rely on it!
This is our guarantee to you – our Landlord!
Advertising and promotion of your property …
• We will advertise your property on prominent marketing sites,
• We will promote your listing on social media,
• We will display the listing at all our offices, and
• We will list the property in our Property Guide.
Property inspections …
• We will attend all property inspections with prospective tenants,
• We will provide an entry condition report to the tenant,
• We will carry out regular routine inspections, and
• We will complete a comprehensive outgoing condition inspection.
During the tenancy …
• We will ensure rental payments are received from your tenant on time,
• We will manage all repairs and maintenance on your behalf,
• We will disburse rental funds to your chosen bank account on the first working day of every month, and
• We will provide a detailed statement promptly, as at the end of the month.
You need to know what’s going on …
At every stage of our management, you have the right to be kept fully informed.
• You will be consulted about tenant selection,
• You will be consulted regarding repair and maintenance issues,
• You will receive regular routine inspection reports,
• You will have regular contact with your Property Manager,
• You will know what’s going on.
• And, if you need to talk, we’re here to listen!
This is our guarantee as your managing agent …
If you believe that we have fallen short of our standard, we need to know so that we can fix it. And we will fix it … we guarantee it!