Hi Guys,
I've been looking for a place to rent in sydney.
And Im just wondering whats the tips and tricks for it? So far I've been looking at Gumtree and domain web to look.
My friends told me Dec is the best time to look as the market will be so quite.
And I was wondering if the place was advertised as $XXX pw can i bargain with the agent?
Tips and Tricks to Rent a Place in Sydney
Anth0ny on 10/06/2018 - 23:31
Comments
Tip: be nice to your mum
Trick: Griffith is cheaper than Sydney
Inspect the place to see if its good, if you're looking at cheap places make sure to look for things like bugs (especially bed bugs), how dirty communal areas are and neighbours.
As well as typical things like how far away is the closest Woolies or Coles and transport (bus or trains).
Typically you want to take on times that don't coincide with uni students, so as your friend says December is an easier time to get renting as opposed to like February where students are taking up a lot of places (I know because I was a student haha).
Also make sure to be nice, check for ratings of agents, take photos of your place (with date and time) when you first start renting so they don't try to charge you for something that was always broken.
Also they will give you a sheet of paper to write down whether furniture etc is good condition or not they'll pretend its no big deal, but it is, if there is something broken or marked or stained make sure to note it down.
In terms of Sydney, honestly theres not a huge amount of housing available and theres a lot of people who want somewhere to stay so you don't have much leeway in terms of bargaining, likely they'll just move onto the next person willing to pay.
Not sure if its an issue as well, but I live currently in an apartment block (the big ones) and they have much more rules in terms of strata rules. Harder to chuck out trash sometimes, harder to bring friends over (have to sign them in) etc.
harder to bring friends over (have to sign them in)
You have to sign in guests to your own home?
Yeah, I think technically you have to sign them into the 'building' but you can't get to your room without going through the building.
I'd tell them to do one. You're paying rent. You're entitled to enjoy the property. Restrictions on when and who you can bring to your home limits your ability to enjoy it.
When I lived in Saudi Arabia we had something similar, anyone visiting the compound had to be signed in and they had to show their passport/residency card (which on some compounds was kept until you left). However, Australia is a very different environment with very different rules. They cannot possibly enforce this, legally, I mean.
Yeah that's straight up illegal. It doesn't even apply to long-term co-tenants (i.e. you can rent a place on your own, and if you move your partner in, landlord can't do anything unless rent includes outgoings and those increase), but for having friends over? No chance that flies.
Apologies for being a bit of a downer, but unfortunately I'm pretty sure it's legal, they regulate it and you can't have anyone over after certain times as well. I'm not a lawyer and don't really want to put down where I live, but /I think/ its quite a well known place and /I think/ the gov has come out saying its legal. I would absolutely absolutely completely love to be wrong in this, and I hope so, because I hate it but unfortunately I don't think I am.
To be fair though, I don't know any places that do it except mine, but theres a few things they do which really feels iffy. To note though, the landlord (an agent) I don't think care at all, its the building manager (Strata) that has the rules "for your security".
Bargain?…. ha, just pray they don't raise the rent within a year.
The the domain website at the bottom you'll see a message…
"First listed on xxx"There's also a "available from xxx" date at the top which the landlord has to rent it out by or else the place will be vacant.
If it's close to this date and they haven't been able to rent it out for a while, they maybe looking to reduce the rent and you can make them an offer.
Dec, early Jan is quite. No one ever showed up to inspections during that time when I had my place advertised.
There's no bargaining, unless you mean offering to pay more to help secure it.
Tips and tricks involve not having pets or children, having a good reference from your previous place, and presenting yourself well at inspections.