Documents and information you must give to the tenant
You must give the tenant:
• A copy of the prescribed Residential tenancy agreement (Form 1AA) (if using a written residential tenancy agreement)
• when the tenant signs it; and
• within 14 days of all parties signing the agreement.
• A copy of the Information for tenant:
• If there is a written tenancy agreement, the Form 1AC is to be provided at time of entering into
agreement.
• If there is a verbal tenancy agreement, the Form 1AD must be provided within 14 days after the tenant
takes possession of the premises.
• Two copies of a completed property condition report (Form 1, as detailed above).
• If the tenant is paying a security bond, you must provide them with a completed bond lodgement form to
sign so it can be lodged with the Bond Administrator.
If you are eligible to use BondsOnline eTransactions, this can be done electronically and the tenant will be
sent an email asking them to approve the details online.
• A receipt for the security bond must also be provided showing the date, amount, who paid and the address
of the premises.
• Your full name and address. If the property is managed by a real estate agent, they will provide your name
but their address.
If more than one person owns the property, you must nominate someone to be head lessor and give the tenants their name and address. If the lessor is a company or other body corporate, you must provide the name and business address of the secretary of the owning company.
​
All of these forms and more, can be located on the RentCollect 'Forms' page which is accessible to all of our clients.
​
Property Condition Reports
​
Property condition reports are used to avoid disagreements with the tenant about damage to the property.
Tenancy laws require you to prepare a property condition report describing the condition of the property at the start and the end of a tenancy.
You may create your own property condition report, but at a minimum, it must contain the information stated within the Property condition report (Form 1) available from the department. You can add more detail to this form if you wish.
The property condition report enables you to list all of the contents and identify if they are clean, undamaged or working. You can also add further comments about anything damaged or in bad condition, such as a cracked ceiling, torn fly screen, stained carpet or dirty or chipped walls. It is advisable for the report to describe the condition of any lawns or garden beds, including shrubs and trees, plus the type and number of garden sprinklers and the condition of the bore or reticulation system.
If there is a swimming pool or spa, it’s a good idea to record its condition and note the accessories and cleaning equipment and check it complies with pool safety laws.
​
- Provide two copies to the tenant
Two copies of the property condition report must be provided within seven days of the tenant moving in. You can attach dated and signed photographs or digital recordings if you wish to do so.
The tenant then has a further seven days to mark any disagreement on the two copies of the property condition report and return one marked up and signed copy to you. If the parties do not agree, the property condition report is not considered to reflect the condition of the property. You and the tenant(s) may wish to meet to view the property jointly and compare the differences in an attempt to resolve the disagreement. If there is a dispute at the end of the tenancy, a court may look at the marked up copy and other evidence.
If the tenant does not return the property condition report, it is understood it has been accepted as an accurate record of the condition of the property. A tenant is unlikely to return (or dispute) a report that includes fair descriptions of the condition of the property so it’s in your interest to provide reports that are accurate.
You will be able to check each item on the original property condition report as compared to the report at the end of the tenancy to see if there has been any damage or if items are missing. The tenant is not liable for normal wear and tear (see the ‘Who’s responsible in a tenancy?’ section).
The tenant must be given a reasonable opportunity to be present at the final inspection. After conducting a final inspection and report, you will need to provide a copy of the report to the tenant as soon as possible and in any event within 14 days after the termination of an agreement.