The rental market is often a competitive one and these rental application tips will help you avoid being rejected, as our property managers prepare recommendations for our landlords.
You could say that you're about to get insider information about our property managers but we believe it is in everybody's interest for you to know the things we need to get good information to our landlords.
There are many lists and much writing about winning the rental tenancy of your dreams but our experience shows it is often the things overlooked in a rental application that ruin your chances for success.
We want to share these insights with you because the McGrath Real Estate approach to property management is one where we value the important role you play as the tenant, in helping our landlords have peace of mind that their property is being cared for and enjoyed so that it can build in value for them while providing a home for you.
With properties managed throughout Adelaide and its sprawling suburbs, we present our insights into how you can prepare your application in a way that will appeal to our landlords and help them see that you are the right person for the tenancy.
Rental application tips: Preparation is key
If you’re looking to move into a rental property then you will need to make an application to the owner/agent.
The majority of application forms provided by agents will ask for the following information:
- Your personal information (name, address, DOB etc)
- Information on where you’re currently living (contact details for your current property manager/landlord or if you own your own home contact details of your sales agent)
- Information on your previous home (contact details for your previous property manager/landlord or if you owned your own home contact details of your sales agent)
- Where do you receive money from (your employers details, if you’re self-employed your accountants details, Centrelink statements, bank statements)
- What are you like as a person and how do you keep your home (contact details of a non-bias reference, eg a work colleague who’s seen your home)
Our advice is to think about who these references will be, speak to them in advance and let them know you’re moving and will be applying for properties and that they may receive a call.
There may be other questions as each agency uses different paperwork, however essentially we’re looking to be able to provide as much information to the owner of the property as to how well you’ll look after their property and whether you will pay your rent on time.
Rental application tips: Complete ALL the fields on the application form
Yes, this sounds a little bit unnecessary to say, but it is rather common for forms to have fields left blank, such as missing names and phone numbers.
This is probably one of the easiest ways to avoid missing out on making the shortlist for a rental property,
In short, if there is a field on the application form you’re completing, it’s there for a reason.
As property managers we have a duty to provide the owner of the property with as much information as possible about you.
In order to obtain this information, we need to check references and speak with numerous people to verify the information you have supplied.
If a name or number is missing this will cause delays as we will need to follow you up to get this information before proceeding any further with the application
Rental application tips: Get your supporting documents in order and make copies
Once you’ve completed the application form, we will need to ask you for 100 points of ID.
This is usually made up of a number of documents from a list supplied on the application.
In our experience the best way to surefire your application is the provide copies of the following:
- Photo ID (eg drivers license, proof of age card, passport)
- Medicare card if you’re an Australian resident
- Visa documentation if you’re not an Australian resident
- The last 30 days of your bank statement
- 3 recent pay slips if you’re employed, or income statements if you’re self employed, or - 3 recent Centrelink statements if you’re receiving benefits
- Utility bill (eg phone, electricity, gas, vehicle registration)
Depending on the number of properties you’re viewing and the number of applications you’re likely to submit, making copies in advance of these documents will make your life easier when completing applications.
Rental application tips: First in, best dressed
Another of our key roles as property managers is to ensure our landlords experience minimum vacancy rates.
One way we can do this is to process applications quickly and present them to the owner for a decision within 48 hours of the open inspection.
Bringing a completed application with supporting documents to the inspection, or submitting it by lunch time the following business day, will help increase your chances of being successful.
If you leave it too late to submit your application those who were ahead of you could be successful, purely on the basis that they submitted their application earlier, it was processed sooner, and the owner was happy to accept this rather than wait to see if any more applications were received.
You can download our Tenancy Application Form here.
You can view rental properties available through McGrath Real Estate here.
Thanks for reading, and all the best with your house hunting.