How do I switch to The Professionals if my property is currently being managed by another agent?

The process is quite simple and will be completely handled by your new Professionals agent. Once you have signed our Notice of Transfer Letter, we will then forward it to your current agent giving the required notice period as per your agreement.

Your new property manager will arrange the collection of the file including the lease agreement, bond details, condition report and all other relevant correspondence. Contact will be made with your tenant to advise of the change, along with details of the new rent payment method.

Then sit back and relax while your property is in the hands of The Professionals. Click ahead for more reasons to choose us.

How long will it take to find a tenant for my property?

It is difficult to put a time frame on this as there are many variables to consider when your property is on the market for lease. Some properties lease in 1 or 2 days and other may take 1 or 2 weeks. Those properties that are well presented and are marketed at a fair market rate, will generally lease quickly. It is also important to consider the time of year as depending on the suburb of your property, some months may have stronger demand than others.

You can rest assured that the Professionals Cairns Beaches understand that vacancies come at a cost to our clients so our number 1 priority is to ensure you have a good quality tenant as quickly as possible.

How can I be sure the tenant is not damaging the property?

Although your new tenant was thoroughly screened during the application process, there are no guarantees of any accidents that may occur. However, through the conduction of regular routine inspections, your property manager will be able to advise you of the condition of your investment and any repairs that are required at the property. Should there be any cause for concern your Professionals agent will contact you to discuss this.

Do I need landlord Insurance?

Yes. It is extremely important that one of your largest investments be covered by insurance. There are several policies our there so be sure to read the fine print so you know what you are covered for. Most policies cover you for loss of rent, malicious damage, public liability and some items of content such as curtains or carpet.

What if my tenant doesn’t pay his/her rent on time?

Rent arrears are something we take very seriously and have a zero tolerance for. This is why at Professionals Cairns Beaches we have a strict arrears procedures that our property manager must adhere by to ensure any arrears are paid as quickly as possible. Communication via phone, email, sms and by mail, ensure the tenant is made aware of the problem and asked to remedy the arrears immediately. If the rent is more than 14 days in arrears your tenant will be sent a termination notice.

Your property manager will notify you when your tenant becomes in arrears and will discuss the action plan moving forward.

How are maintenance and repairs handled?

This is completely up to you. Should you want to be notified of all repairs first, just let your property manager know. If you have a particular tradesperson you would like us to use, that’s fine too as long as they are licensed for the work they’re carrying out and have all the necessary insurance in place. If you wish for Professionals Cairns Beaches to liaise with your contractor and organise maintenance then in line with Office of Fair Trading legislation then we need to have the contractor complete a contractors form, supply a copy of current public liability and appropriate licenses eg builder have current builders license. This is a very simple process. Alternatively they can deal with you direct to organise the work and for invoice payment.

For any large repairs, your property manager would be happy to arrange 2 quote’s for you. It is important to note that should an emergency repair occur at the property after office hours, the tenant can arrange for an emergency repair to be carried out without the approval of agent or owner as per the lease agreement.

At the Professionals we want you to have peace of mind that when it comes to repairs, we ensure our preferred tradespeople are fully qualified and insured so your property is maintained to the highest standard.

What should I do if I want to sell my property or arrange a valuation?

That’s easy…. Just notify your Professionals property manager and they will have one of our sales team contact you for a free, no obligation sales appraisal.

Can I enter my property during the tenancy?

Lessors must take reasonable steps to ensure tenants have quiet enjoyment of their rented home. This means the lessor/agent must not interfere with the tenant’s reasonable peace, comfort and privacy in using the premises. You need to give the tenant appropriate notice before you enter the property. The notice can be served by the managing agent on your behalf.

The property has a swimming pool. Is there anything specific I need to consider?

The pool area is one of the few spaces in the property that is prone to accidents like drowning. To prevent that, all property owners in Australia are legally required to ensure that swimming pool safety precautions are in place. If you have a swimming pool, the law states that:

It must be enclosed with a proper barrier that includes a pool fence, walls or any other structure that acts as a barrier
Safety measures like child-resistant doors should be in place so that children do not access the swimming pool without adult supervision
Property owners need to get pool safety certificates issued by a pool safety inspector.

Our team will be happy to assist with organising his.

What happens with smoke alarms in the property?

Property owners must install smoke alarms in all domestic dwellings.

You can find out more on the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services website.

Property owners/managers must:

install smoke alarms complying with Australian Standard 3786-1993 outside sleeping areas and one on each level of the dwelling
replace smoke alarms before the end of their service life (smoke alarms are required to have a recommended service life of at least 10 years under normal conditions of use)
test and clean smoke alarms and replace any flat or nearly flat batteries within 30 days before the start or renewal of a tenancy.

Property owners/managers must not remove a smoke alarm, remove the battery (other than to replace it) or do anything to reduce the effectiveness of the alarm (e.g. paint it). Our Property Managers can assist with organising a license smoke alarm contractor to ensure all alarms are to code and maintained, just ask our team.

Is there any specific law with regards to maintenance and repairs of rental property?

According to the terms of the Residential Tenancies Authorities, the landlord or property owner is responsible for maintaining the property in good shape and in a fit condition for the tenant to live there without any hassles. While the tenant has to take care of the day-to-day maintenance of the property, the landlord has to take care of cleanliness in common areas, keeping gutters and drains clean and getting any damages or faults in fittings and fixtures repaired in time.

An example of who’s responsible:

If the tenant breaks a window by throwing something through it, they are responsible and have to pay. If a window breaks because the putty comes loose due to age without the tenant knowing, and the window falls out, that may be fair wear and tear and the property owner may have to pay.

Drains & Gutter what happens?

It is the responsibility of the property manager/owner or manager to ensure that the property is in good condition.

Generally, if a drain becomes blocked due to fair wear and tear (e.g. due to tree roots), it is the property owner’s responsibility.

If a drain becomes blocked due to something the tenant has done (e.g. putting something in the drain), it may be the tenant’s responsibility to pay for fixing the problem.

Gutters and downpipes are the responsibility of owners. It is recommended that owners have gutters and downpipes cleaned at least yearly dependant on trees surrounding.

Who maintains the garden?

It is generally the responsibility of the tenant to look after general yard jobs such as mowing, edging and weeding and minor trimming. Any special arrangements about the maintenance of gardens and lawns should be listed and agreed upon in the tenancy agreement. Any plants, hedges or lawns that require specialist upkeep are not the responsibility of the tenant, unless the tenant agrees.

Local council water restrictions should also be considered. The tenant may not be held responsible if lawns, trees or other plants die because of compliance with these local laws or due to excessive dry weather conditions.

Work such as major pruning and tree lopping is carried out by the property owner as part of their obligation to keep the property in good repair.

We recommend owners have gardens mulched twice yearly.

Do I have to have annual pest spray?

Owners must ensure the property is fit for the tenant to live in and kept in good repair while the tenant has to keep the place clean and undamaged. Owners can take preventative pest control measures such as white ant/termite treatments to minimise the risk of damage to a dwelling’s structure.

What happens if pests during tenancy?

During a tenancy, responsive pest control measures may be needed, such as treatments for pests and vermin such as ants, fleas, cockroaches and rats. f a pest problem emerges, the first step could be to consider why the pests are in the property to help work out who is responsible for rectifying the problem.

Examples of pest problems include cockroaches or ants being attracted by food the tenant has left out, or a flea infestation caused by the tenant’s approved pet cat. On the other hand, the property owner may have left a pile of wood and rubbish under the house, which has attracted rats, or the property may be located next to a nature reserve which may be home to rats.

Who is responsible for carpet cleaning?

If the owner/agent provides receipts showing the carpets were steam cleaned by a carpet cleaning company before the tenancy started and the tenant acknowledges this, the tenant can be asked to ensure the carpets are steam cleaned to the same standard at the end of the tenancy, fair wear and tear excepted.

Who is responsible for changing of light globes?

Common industry practice is that the property manager/owner is responsible for maintaining specialised bulbs, and the tenant/resident is responsible for the replacement of everyday bulbs.

If changing a bulb requires specialist knowledge or specialist equipment (eg ladder higher than 2 steps) , changing the bulb may be part of the property manager/owner’s responsibility to maintain the property.

What happens with mould?

It is the responsibility of the tenant to notify the property manager/owner of any serious/extensive mould problem.

If the mould is a result of an issue in the property, such as a roof leak, it is generally the property owners responsibility to clean the mould and make any repairs necessary to maintain the property in good repair.
If the tenant caused the mould, they are responsible for its removal and may have to pay for to repair any damage caused.
At the first sign of any problem, the property manager/owner and tenant should discuss the issue.

An example of who’s responsible: if the tenant continually allowed steam to build up in the bathroom without proper ventilation and/or regular cleaning, resulting in mould, then the tenant may be liable. If the mould is a result of a structural issue, e.g.roof leak, then this is an owner responsibility.