Home Rental Failures

[Sutton Murray]

Hi

I am now 3 and half weeks in the sunshine coast. I am having difficulty in getting a rental home.

Me and my son of 11 have issued a number of applications for a rental home, without any success. When asked, no reason is given. In the area of caboolture the rental homes are plenty. Most of the times, i was the only one that showed at the open days. One of the applied for rentals was even standing open for more than a year. My applications is not failing due to the number of other applicants. Credentials i saw is a problem. later i went as far as offering the full 6 month contract in a advance payment. Still unsuccessful. I am planning to open a business so i can't show any income at the time. Is this the reason? Must i first work and float around until i have some records of an income.

This issue is making me thinking differently about Australians and i am starting to think that coming to Oz may be a mistake.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on?

Sutton

[Narms]

Hi

I am now 3 and half weeks in the sunshine coast. I am having difficulty in getting a rental home.

Me and my son of 11 have issued a number of applications for a rental home, without any success. When asked, no reason is given. In the area of caboolture the rental homes are plenty. Most of the times, i was the only one that showed at the open days. One of the applied for rentals was even standing open for more than a year. My applications is not failing due to the number of other applicants. Credentials i saw is a problem. later i went as far as offering the full 6 month contract in a advance payment. Still unsuccessful. I am planning to open a business so i can't show any income at the time. Is this the reason? Must i first work and float around until i have some records of an income.

This issue is making me thinking differently about Australians and i am starting to think that coming to Oz may be a mistake.

Can anyone explain to me what is going on?

Sutton

[sasher]

Hi Sutton. welcome to the Forum first of all!

It must be very frustrating to be rejected for your rental application especially with the full six months paid up. What are the agents saying?

Do you know anyone in Australia that could possibly vouch for you and write you a character reference? Is it possible to get a reference letter from a landlord back in South Africa that could explain that you were a good tenant and paid on time? If you were a home owner perhaps you could get a letter from the bank with whom you had a bond to say that you paid the bond every month on time.

If it is just you and your son have you looked at a home share option? Try www.gumtree.com.au and see if there is anyone that would give you a spare room in the meantime until you get your work and income sorted. Then they would be able to provide you with a reference after a few months. Tis not an ideal situation but hopefully it would just be for a short while.

Don't give up just yet. I am sure things will work out.

S

[Heather]

Its definitely because you arent working - a referral from someone would probably help - PM me if you get stuck ...

[calibrated]

we had the same problem. had 5 places declined on us, even offered more than what they wanted. eventually got one that didnt quite suit us, but it was somewhere to live. and we had to pay 6 months in advance. major budget blow.

by law, they are not required to tell you why you were declined. which is kinda pathetic really.

[Sutton Murray]

Thanks for all the advice, i have asked for a reference letter from the agency that sold my house in South Africa.

Heather thanks, i will do just that if i have no option anymore.

I have asked why i am declined, it makes sence then why i am not getting answers.

So for a first rental is it then normal to offer the full contract in an advance payment?

[calibrated]

So for a first rental is it then normal to offer the full contract in an advance payment?

NO. they are actually not allowed to take bulk payments. but some do to entice the owner to allow them into the property.

the rental market here, is very ignorant to newly landed people. and when you cant fill out certain sections of the forms, you get these confused looks from the agents.

[lyall]

we HAD to give 5 references living in Australia, and boy, did the agents grill them, we gave our agent as one, and they had him on the phone for over an hour asking questions about the validity of us being allowed in Austrlia..

we cant wait to buy our own place, it is such a hassle to rent here, considering how the people who get housing benefits treat the houses they get from centrelink...it really irks me....

Edited November 26, 2008 by lyall

[chalmers family]

we going to the gold coast in 2009, can anyone give me info on how to rent a fully furnished place in a good area???

seems like there is a problem with rentals in aus???

please help!

Jackie

[Are we there Yet?]

we going to the gold coast in 2009, can anyone give me info on how to rent a fully furnished place in a good area???

seems like there is a problem with rentals in aus???

please help!

Jackie

Firstly, you must select an area you like. Drive around that area (if possible). Then go to agents in that area and ask for their rentals list. It will show all properties available for rent and how much. You may then set up an appointment to inspect the property.

Check out some agents websites:

Raine & Horne

Ray White

LJ Hooker

realestate.com.au

We have had no trouble finding a rental, you need to be organised and quick.

[Blossom]

I know they also work on a points system. You get points for positive ID.....your drivers license, proof of residential address, a recommendation from previous landlords, a newish utilty bill, even a library membership card and your bank card. Oh, and a payslip.

Then buy a newspaper and try private letting......good luck!

[Eva]

Well, I sure hope it is easier to rent in Toowoomba than some of the stories I have read on the forum.

It is quite daunting really, arriving in a new land and battling to rent. We don't even know where we will stay when we arrive, book into a cheap and nasty motel, caravan park, holiday accommodation? Hell, if our tent didn't weigh so much or if the airlines would allow it as 'sporting goods' (already checked out that option) we would camp!!!

All part of the adventure.....

[Blossom]

Eva, my hartjie, ek gaan jou in Afrikaans antwoord, hoop nie jy gee om nie.

Dit hang nou af waarheen jy gaan, as jy Adelaide toe gekom het, het ek jou op die lughawe gaan haal en sommer tjop tjop in 'n plekkie ingeprop waar jy alles sou he wat nodig is vir 'n rukkie...tot jy jou voete vind.

Nou, ek weet vir 'n feit dat daar baie mense op die forum is wat soos ek voel......ons is daar om te help. Jy moet net vra. Ons wat nou al 'n rukkie hier bly sal verseker weet waar om gemeubelleerde plekke goedkoop te kry. Ons kan jou raad gee oor meubels huur, spotgoedkoop, ons sal selfs help met linne en breekgoed.....

Waar gaan jy opland hier in die grote Australie? Wanneer land jy, wil jy naby skole bly? Is jou skippie êrens op die Indiese oseaan besig om rond te skommel of gaan jy brand new Ikea goetertjies koop?

Ek weet van een op en wakker Ex Sa wat iemand nou so pas gehelp het met 'n huurhuis uit die boonste rakke vir lekker bietjie $$$. Waar daar 'n wil is, is daar 'n weg.

Ek sal aan jou dink as ek en GrootPa gesels vanaand......se net as jy iets nodig het........al is dit net 'n cyber drukkie.

Arrie warrie.

Edited January 4, 2009 by Blossom

[Sutton Murray]

Hey Blossom, Dit was n mooi gemoeds praaitjie. Die cyber drukkie die sal ek vat, as Eva die nie soek nie, Hehe.

I have at last found a rental(in the sunshine coast), paid 6 month in advance and and signed up for a year and not the 6 month as i was hoping for.

I truly believe, getting a rental is about the person/agent that you got in contact with. That person that will be signing you on. The person either do not mind where you are from or you will end up with one that is against the foreigners. The last mentioned are there a lot of. The mate ship under the Ozzies are quite strong, so avoid these guys as it will only bring you misery.

The next time you come across Steven at Cross Country Realty(Caboulture), know that he will not help you.

[Eva]

Blossom, my Afrikaans is not that great, so we'll have a twee-talig conversation.

You are so sweet. We are going to Toowoomba, Queensland.

Someone we 'met' (e-mail conversations) through a friend has very kindly offered to have us stay with her.

It is wonderful to have people so generous to others they don't know, I feel really blessed, and it makes our arrival in Australia that much easier. She has offered to collect us from the airport in Brisbane, which is not exactly down the road, although I'm not sure if we'll take her up on that offer.

She is ex-SA and says she knows how difficult this all is.

I sure hope I'll be able to return the favour to someone soon....

Cheers

Eva

[De Kat]

Sutton Murray,

Hoop jy het 'n lekker holtetjie vir jou voet gekry. Sien jy is in my omgewing. Ons was baie gelukkig om 'n private huurhuis te bekom deur 'n ou koerant in een van die lee huurhuise se posbusse. Anders het ek dalk nou nog gesukkel. Baie nice Aussie couple, hulle was nog elke naweek hier om goed te fix. Ons is op Bribie. PM my dan gesels ons en ek vertel jou van 'n ander kuierhoekie vir ons vroumense.

[chalmers family]

Hi everyone,

I found a company in Brisbane called SA2BRISBANE, they are relocation agents and you pay them a fee (not that large) and they will do all the "dirty" work for you.... find a place for you in an area you like.... u just sit back and relax!

J