Smith Collective in Southport will take first renters in January 2019

The Gold Coast’s newest large-scale rental site is promising to allow pets in apartments and tenants’ own pictures on the walls to help create a sense of community.

BEING allowed to have pets and hang pictures on the apartment walls is a gold medal idea for tenants contemplating moving in at the Smith Collective.

For Morgan Kallman, 23, and Harley Faulkner, 25, promises of these extra freedoms and a “sense of community’’ at the former Commonwealth Games athletes village in Southport have not gone unnoticed.

Morgan Kallman, 23, and Harley Faulkner, 25, are moving into the Smith Collective, Gold Coast. Picture: supplied

“I think it was the sort of marketing that showed us how they were reinventing renting, like you can paint the walls, hang up pictures and have pets … that drew us to it,” Ms Kallman said.

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“I have a cat and she comes everywhere with me.”

The Griffith University student said it was great to be right next to the university, while her partner could easily catch a tram to work.

The pair will have access to all the amenities included. Picture: supplied

The 18-tower site will start taking in its first residents on January 14, with the pair moving into a one-bedroom apartment on the eighth floor four days later. They will pay $370 a week.

JLL head of residential Tina Grey said Australia’s first “build to rent’’ development was modelled on the success of suimilar projects in the UK and US.

Apartments or town houses are not for sale. Instead, the mini-city’s 1251 dwellings are only available to rent.

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“The response has been phenomenal, we’re absolutely thrilled,” Ms Grey said.

“We’re looking forward to changing the face of renting.”

Ms Grey said two towers had been released so far to avoid flooding the market.

While security restrictions during the Commonwealth Games – eight months ago – meant renters were unable now to find out which athletes stayed in which apartment, they could still find out which Games team stayed in which tower.

One of the released towers housed the Australian team.

A one-bedroom apartment starts from $360 a week, a two-bedroom apartment starts at $460 a week and a three-bedroom townhouse starts at $595 a week.