Tenants FAQ’s

You can view one of our properties at a scheduled open for inspection or contact one of our leasing agents to arrange a private inspection.

Our Rental Application form is located below. Alternatively, rental application forms are available from the reception or by requesting a copy via email or from your local Raine & Horne office. All rental applications must be completed as fully as possible for each individual applicant. Ensure you include 100 points of ID, payslips and/or bank statements or any government documents proving income. Failure to provide all the required information could result in your rental application being delayed. If you are unsure as to what you need to provide, please ask a Raine & Horne team member.

Direct Connect can help you connect your Electricity, Gas and Water, and arrange your Internet, Phone, Pay TV, Insurance, Cleaning, Removalists and Truck Hire. Simply click here and complete the form and one of their moving experts will call you to discuss your moving needs.

A residential tenancy agreement is a legal contract between a tenant and a landlord or agent. The agreement outlines the amount of rent to be paid, payment frequency, the duration of the tenancy, the amount of money required as refundable security bond, as well as other conditions and rules. It is a legally binding contract so it is important that you spend time reviewing the agreement before you sign it.

Yes, you can keep a pet at the property, but you must first get your landlord’s consent—unless the animal is an assistance animal, in which case no consent is required. You will need to submit all the relevant information regarding the pet or pets on your application form. To request consent for a pet during your tenancy, all tenants listed on the lease must apply together using the pet application form and submit it to their Property Manager. 

The landlord can grant permission with reasonable conditions, such as not allowing certain animals indoors, requiring professional carpet cleaning and fumigation at the end of the tenancy (especially for indoor pets or mammals), or other conditions that are fair and specific to the type of animal and the property.

If you are going to be late with your payment please contact your Property Manager immediately. We understand the unexpected does occur, communicating ahead of time with your property manager will give them more ability to assist you if this does occur. If you have not paid the full rent amount due on a particular day as agreed under the terms of the tenancy agreement, and that amount has remained unpaid for a period of 14 days or more ( may vary dependant on which state or territory you reside in ) you may be issued with a termination notice. Repeated late payment may affect your rental history.

If you lose the keys to your home or they are stolen, please let your Property Manager know immediately. Your Property Manager will make suitable arrangements for locks to be replaced using the office Locksmith. You will be liable for the replacement costs. Also, if you change any of the locks in the premises, it is your responsibility to provide a copy to the agent and also return these keys when vacating the property.

It is company policy that where possible, all repairs are lodged in writing.

You can lodge repair requests by submitting a maintenance request or use the maintenance request forms handed to you at the commencement of your tenancy.

If you need more you can grab them from reception. Maintenance can also be reported at reception or you can lodge your repair requests by calling or sending an email direct to your Raine & Horne Property Manager.

No, you do not need to be home, if you are not home at the allocated inspection time we will use our office set of keys to access the property.

As part of our service to your landlord, the property will be inspected. You will receive notice in writing from your Raine & Horne Property Manager prior to any inspection taking place.

The Property Manager will assess the condition of the property to ensure everything is in order and there are no safety issues at the property. It is also an ideal time for us to check on any maintenance repairs that may be required so if you have anything you would like to bring to our attention please advise the property manager during or before the inspection.

Raine&Horne Nowa will conduct annual rent reviews, which usually occur prior to the expiry of your Tenancy Agreement and are adjusted in accordance with market conditions. In NSW rent can only be increased once every 12 months, regardless of whether you are on a fixed-term or periodic lease. Even if you renew your lease or switch to a different lease type, the 12-month rule still applies as long as the landlord remains the same, at least one tenant stays the same, and there has been no gap in occupancy between agreements.

For fixed-term agreements that began before 13 December 2024 and are less than 2 years long, rent may be increased more than once in a 12-month period only if the increases are clearly outlined in the lease. The agreement must specify either the exact amount or a clear method of calculating the increase. Once the agreement ends or is renewed, the standard 12-month limit will apply.

Ending a Non-Fixed Agreement (Periodic)

If you are leaving after the end of your current fixed-term lease, we require at least 21 days notice in writing via email or post or alternatively through the vacate form on our website. Please note that this amount of notice needs to commence when we have received your notice, not when it was posted.

Alternatively, you can also use Notice to terminate tenancy agreement  from NSW Fair Trading.

Breaking your Lease

A “Lease Break” situation occurs when the tenants during the fixed term tenancy wish to vacate the property prior to the lease expiry date. Should you find yourself in this position, you should notify your Property Manager in writing immediately.

If you're on a fixed-term lease of 3 years or less and choose to end the agreement early (without a legally permitted reason), you’ll be required to pay a break fee. The amount depends on how much of the lease has passed:

• 4 weeks' rent if less than 25% of the lease has expired
• 3 weeks' rent if 25%–50% has expired
• 2 weeks' rent if 50%–75% has expired
• 1 week’s rent if more than 75% has expired

These fees don’t apply if your lease is over 3 years or if you’re ending the lease early for a valid reason under the law—such as domestic violence, serious breach by the landlord, or being accepted into social housing or aged care.

• Any outstanding rent is paid promptly.

• The property is cleaned and in good order as per the original Entry Condition report you were given at the commencement of your tenancy prior to returning keys.

• Any monies outstanding are paid in full eg: water, any damages, compensation amounts and break lease fees

• All keys and remote controls etc have been returned within the time frame specified.

Once the above criteria have been met we can then refund your bond to you.