Renting? Here’s what you need to know about SA’s new tenancy laws
Raine and Horne Murraylands’ Henry Cahillane explains two recent law changes, and how tenants can get their foot in the door of their next property.
This sponsored story is brought to you by Raine and Horne Murraylands.
With rental properties in the Murraylands in high demand at the moment, it pays to be one step ahead of the game.
But that game has changed in the past 12 months, with state government reforms making it harder than ever for applicants to stand out from the crowd.
“Vacancy rates are very low at the moment, which means it’s really competitive, particularly for good properties,” says Raine and Horne Murraylands’ Henry Cahillane.
“It’s a bit of a challenge, and people are feeling that.”
Here’s what you need to know, and how to put yourself in the best possible position.
What is form A1?
The biggest change to South Australia’s rental laws in the past year has been the introduction of a standard form for all rental applications.
Form A1, as it is called, asks for only basic information about an applicant:
- Your name and contact information
- Two forms of identification
- Proof of your ability to pay rent: a bank statement, pay slip, or info about other income
- Up to two referees
“As agents, we can’t ask for anything more than that,” Henry says.
“But if I was in the position of applying for a property, I would want to give a lot more: extra pay slips, extra references, written (testimonials) from employers or previous property owners.”
As page four of the form says: “Prospective tenants may attach further documentation to this application form if it might assist their rental application.”
“That is really the only way you can (stand out),” Henry says.
“Present well and be really organised.”
What other changes have come in?
Previous changes to rental laws have been introduced in several waves over the past three years.
A ban on no-grounds evictions means a landlord cannot kick you out without a reason.
But it also makes the process of selecting a quality tenant more important than ever, Henry says.
“It’s good news for tenants, because it means they have security … but if you don’t have that perfect application, it makes it a bit harder for the landlord to commit,” Henry says.
A ban on rent bidding means nobody can offer to rent a property at a higher-than-advertised price.
Rent increases can only be imposed once per year, and landlords’ ability to refuse lease extensions or demand inspections have been limited.
In the near future, the state government has also promised to introduce a portable bond scheme, meaning you would not have to pay a bond on one property while waiting to get your bond back from another one.
What can tenants do to improve their chances?
To maximise your chances of securing a rental property, the best thing you can do – of course – is to be a model tenant: take care of your property and pay your rent on time.
But there are more specific actions you can take to get ahead, Henry suggests:
- Supply extra information: Attach more than one pay slip, more than two referees, testimonials from employers or landlords, and/or visa information
- Use impartial referees: “Someone like an employer, a landlord or an agent you’ve rented from – they’re going to give an honest view”
- Consider a cover letter: “Sometimes it’s a challenge, when we receive a pay slip, to figure out what’s going on … things like cover letters fill in all the gaps and help us make sense of everything”
- Chat with the property manager: In person at an open inspection, ideally
- Consider submitting early: Getting your paperwork in before an open inspection will demonstrate that you’re serious
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to submit that application to the owner and say, ‘Here’s this person, here’s their situation,’” Henry says.
“The less I have to do for your application, the easier it’s going to be to have that conversation with the owner and get it over the line.”
- More information: Visit www.raineandhorne.com.au/murraylands, call 8532 3833 or drop into Raine and Horne Murraylands’ office at 4 Seventh Street, Murray Bridge. For the rental reforms, visit cbs.sa.gov.au.
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Peri Strathearn
