Overcoming Common Tenancy Issues
The rental market is extremely tight right now, which is making it harder than usual to find suitable properties. Due to higher levels of competition, even strong applicants are struggling to get their applications approved. As a result, many renters end up compromising on their requirements or paying above market rates.
Acknowledging this, we currently recommend that you avoid moving, unless you absolutely have to – at least for the next few months. While your needs may have changed, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to find a place that meets your new requirements. And, even if you do, you’ll most likely need to pay a significant premium to secure it.
To make staying where you are a little easier, we want to share our advice on overcoming common renter issues. In our experience, these are some of the main motivators for tenants to start looking for somewhere new to live. They also have simple solutions that can help make your current property more suitable, at least for the short term.
You need more space
One of the biggest reasons most tenants want to move on is that they feel they have outgrown their current property. Maybe your family is growing and you want everyone to have their own room. Or maybe your daily routine has changed and you now need more space at home (e.g. a dedicated home office).
While you can’t magically create more space, you can focus on using the space you have more effectively. For example, you can:
Hire a storage unit: Decluttering is one of the best – and easiest – ways to make your current home feel bigger and more liveable. However, as rental properties are notorious for lacking storage space, this can be quite difficult to do. A storage unit can help with this, giving you a dedicated space to keep your rarely used items.
Use a coworking space: Many of us are working from home far more often, which can make the space feel much smaller. This is particularly true if you don’t have a dedicated office area, as “work” and “home” will invariably blend together. Coworking facilities can help combat this, providing a flexible “work” space and allowing you to break up your routine.
Make the most of your neighbourhood: It’s easy to forget that your home extends beyond the walls of the property that you’re renting. Chances are that there are multiple local spaces (cafes, parks, libraries, etc.) that you like and can better utilise. After all, there were good reasons you moved to the area – make sure you’re taking full advantage of them.
Your rent has been raised
Many landlords are choosing to capitalise on the strength of the market by raising the rent they charge. Under normal circumstances, this would be an understandable reason to look for better value elsewhere. However, at the moment, you’re unlikely to find this, and could even end up paying more if you move.
It’s also important to remember that moving is usually quite a costly – and time consuming – exercise. Even if you move yourself, you’ll still need to pay for packing materials, truck hire, and professional carpet cleaning. You’ll also need to find the money for your new bond and possibly pay rent on two places for a period.
As such, if you can afford it, it’s generally best to accept any reasonable rent rise right now. As you must be given at least 60 days’ notice of any planned increase, you’ll have time to prepare for it. And, in most instances, your rent won’t be able to be increased again for another 12 months.
If a proposed increase will likely cause significant affordability issues for you, you should speak to your Property Manager. If you’ve been a great tenant, most landlords would prefer to keep you in place rather than risk losing you. Also, if you do leave, they will need to pay reletting fees, which will offset the additional rent they could receive.
As such, they may be willing to consider a smaller increase, if it helps keep you in their property. So, before contacting your Property Manager, we recommend coming up with a counteroffer that would be more workable for you.
The property is being sold
Over the last couple of months, we’ve heard from multiple tenants living in properties that have been listed for sale. Most have had a fixed-term lease in place but were worried about their future landlord honouring this agreement. Several had also been advised by the selling agent that they should start looking at other rentals.
We cannot stress this enough – if you have a fixed-term lease and the property is being sold, you do not have to move. While the new owner will become your landlord, they cannot change the terms of your existing lease agreement. Nor can your current landlord give you notice to vacate, just so they can sell the property without a tenant.
Your maintenance requests are being ignored
A common complaint we hear from tenants is that they love their current home, but there are serious maintenance issues. Often, they’ve asked for certain things be fixed, but the landlord has either denied or ignored the request. And, while they’ve tried to work around the issues, it’s started to affect their enjoyment of the property.
If this situation sounds all too familiar, the best thing you can do is apply to VCAT for non-urgent repairs. As part of this, make sure you provide evidence of what needs to be fixed and your previous maintenance requests. VCAT will then hold a hearing within 7 days of receiving your application, where they will review your request. If they agree maintenance is required, they will order your landlord to have it carried out within 14 days.
Your design tastes have changed
If you’ve been in the same place for several years, you may just want a change of scenery. If this is the case, rather than move, you can give your current property a bit of a refresh. Following recent rental law changes, you can now make the following updates without violating the terms of your lease agreement:
Hang pictures and shelves using nails or screws
Anchor large furniture pieces (bookshelves, entertainment units, etc.) to walls
Change window dressings (curtains, blinds, etc.)
Change kitchen and bathroom hardware (cupboard handles, showerheads, etc.)
Plant a vegetable or herb garden
As always, you should ask your landlord before making any significant changes to the property. While they now cannot refuse any reasonable request, it is still best to have their permission.
It’s also important to remember that the property needs to be returned to its original condition when you move out. As such, make sure you hang onto any fixtures or fittings you change out, and reinstall them before you leave.
Want to discuss this further?
If you’re considering moving from your current rental, but are worried about finding your next place, contact Your Home Hunter. Depending on your situation, we may be able to help you plan ways to make your current home more suitable. And, if you really do need to relocate, we can help you find a new property to call home.