As of 1 July 2020, the rules have changed regarding how landlords must deal with items left behind in a rental property by a tenant. There are some quite significant changes from July to the rights of landlords and tenants when goods have been left behind, which we will detail below. 

Finally, we are the ones getting new keys! 

After two and a half years in our previous location in Kahibah, we are pleased to have relocated this week to new premises in Charlestown. 

Conveniently located at 1A Chapman St Charlestown (click for Google Map), our new office is very easy to access from any direction and at any time, with off-street parking available out front. 

Our new location is more suited to the needs of our visitors and our business, offering ease of access, more space within and significantly more natural light (!).

We look forward to welcoming our investors, tenants and suppliers to our new home. 

We are often asked what happens when a tenant's fixed term lease period ends. In this post, we specifically address a number of questions relating to what happens to the tenancy agreement at the end of the fixed term (rather than discussing the rights and responsibilities of a tenant choosing to leave at the end of the lease). 

Below, we will cover the following questions related to this topic:

• Does the tenant need to move out at the end of the fixed term lease?
• Does the tenant need to sign a new lease in order to stay in the property?
• What happens if a tenant stays on in the property without a new lease?

In conversations with owners new to property investment, and with people who have chosen never to invest in property, we often hear this sentence: "What if the tenants trash the place?".

The feeling of apprehension and nervousness is understandable. No one wants to risk having something of value handed over to someone who will cause damage and disappointment. However, while the feeling is understandable, it is usually not justified. 

​The Federal and State Governments have recently announced the HomeBuilder grant, which offers eligible owner-occupiers (including first home buyers) a grant of $25,000 to build a new home or substantially renovate an existing home. The objective of HomeBuilder is to assist the residential construction industry to bounce back following the Coronavirus crisis. 

While the grant is not available for use for renovation of an investment property, there are potential future benefits for investors who may choose to renovate their principal place of residence now. 

Like so many other industries, property management has been given a good shake up over the past few months as COVID-19 has taken its toll.

Fortunately, over the past week or two as restrictions have begun to ease, there is a noticeable return closer to normality than we have been for some time. Open inspections are now once again permitted (with social distancing and hygiene still very top of mind), and prospective renters are returning to the market after a significant downturn in recent times as people “laid low” and rode out the beginnings of an uncertain period. 

More than a week on from the NSW Government announcement outlining rental assistance measures due to COVID-19, we take a look at the current rental landscape and cover several frequently-discussed topics from conversations we’ve had with investors over the past few weeks.