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During your tenancy

During your Tenancy

Now that you’ve settled into your new home, there are a few things you should expect regarding your ongoing tenancy with Raine and Horne Wagga Wagga.

This section contains the facts about common issues that may arise during your tenancy, and how you can deal with them;

Paying Your Rent

Paying your rent Under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010, you are required to pay your rent on time. If you do not pay your rent when it is due, you are in rent arrears. If you do not pay your rent, you put your tenancy with Raine & Horne Wagga at risk.

At Raine & Horne, we offer several ways that you can pay your rent:

Transfer into our trust account
Eftopos payment in office
Centrepay

Rent Arrears

You can expect the following from us, should your rent fall into arrears and you have not notified your Property Manager;

1 to 3 days in arrears SMS sent and /or emails reminders
3-7 days in arrears Phone call
7-14 days in arrears Letter / Phone calls
15 days in arrears Termination Notice for non payment of rent

Expiry of the Termination notice – The agent is within their right to apply to (NCAT) NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal to have the matter heard at the Tribunal.

We would like to avoid the above process at all costs and therefore encourage tenants who are having difficulty paying rent to have regular discussions with their Property Manager.

Routine Inspections

You will receive sufficient notice prior to the inspection taking place and you your Property Manager will contact you to confirm the appointment. The main purpose of the inspection is to provide a report to the owner to ensure the property is being well maintained and also to check for any repairs and/or make any recommendations to the owner.

Photos – Please note that all routine inspections will include taking photos of the property, both internal and external.

Routine Inspection Guide – What we look out for at inspections

Inside the Property

Walls/ light switches/doorways and doors are clean and undamaged
The carpets are clean and stain free
The windows and screens are clean and undamaged
The kitchen area is clean and oven/stove top is free of burnt on food and carbon staining
Shower, Bathroom and Toilet, Laundry and all tiling is clean and undamaged
Outside the Property ( if applicable )

The lawns are freshly cut/edged and maintained Gardens tidy and presentable/weeds removed Rubbish/lawn clippings removed Oil Stains removed to carports, garages and driveway

Rent Reviews

Raine&Horne Wagga 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.

Lease Renewals

Prior to the expiry of your initial lease, your Property Manager will be in touch to discuss renewing the lease agreement for a further period of time. Provided that your rent has been paid on time, and the property has been kept clean and undamaged, and the landlord is happy to continue your tenancy, we will book a time for all parties to sign the new Agreement.

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. Please refer to your Lease Agreement, which will explain what fees you as the tenant will be liable to pay as a result.

Changes of Tenants

Anyone vacating the property is required to provide us with written notice. Anyone looking to move into the property must complete a full application and this must be approved by our office prior to moving into the property. Should permission be granted for tenants to change/transfer during a tenancy agreement, the outgoing tenant must liaise and arrange with the incoming tenant to be paid their share of the bond lodged. Please ensure that you also then contact your Property Manager so that we can arrange for the correct forms to be signed by all parties.

Pets

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. To request consent, all tenants listed on the lease must apply together using the approved form and submit it to the landlord or their agent. 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.

Sub-Letting

sub-letting is allowed in some cases, but you must first obtain written approval from the landlord or managing agent.

Sub-letting means renting out part of the property—such as a room, garage, or granny flat—to another person, who becomes your sub-tenant. As the primary tenant, you'll be responsible for collecting rent and covering any damage caused by the sub-tenant.

Under NSW tenancy laws, a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse a request to sub-let part of the property. However, they are within their rights to refuse if the request involves sub-letting the entire property, or if it may lead to issues such as overcrowding or breach of the lease agreement.

Always submit a formal request and wait for written approval before entering any sub-letting arrangement.

Water Charges

If you are in a property that is water compliant you will liable to pay for all water usage used during the time of your tenancy. This will be charged to you with a copy of the account from the water provider stating how much water you have used and the cost per kilolitre. This can be paid to our office by direct deposit into our trust account stating the address of the property and that it is a payment for water, so this is not credited to your ledger as a rental payment or we can direct debit this invoice together with your rental payments. Please refer to your Lease Agreement to determine if you will be liable to pay for water consumption.

Smoke Alarms

Smoke Alarms are put in place for the safety of the occupiers and the property, and must be working at all times. Do not under any circumstances remove smoke alarms or remove the batteries out of smoke alarms in your rental property. If you think there is a problem with your smoke alarm, please notify your property manager immediately.

Misplaced or Lost Key

If you have misplaced your keys during business hours you may come to our office and borrow our office set, upon proof of identity. There is no guarantee we will have a full set of keys for each property so we suggest you call the office first. If you have misplaced your keys after hours, you may call a locksmith to assist you back into the property. This will be at the tenants cost.

Noise/Disruption

It is important to note that the utmost care must be taken to ensure that you do not disturb your neighbours with noise. Loud music, parties or otherwise can disrupt a neighbours right to peace and the quiet enjoyment of their residence. This also includes your obligation to ensure that your visitors are not disrupting neighbours when walking from your premises to their parked vehicles. A breach may be issued which can lead to eviction if formal complaints are made.