Tips and tricks for tenants applying for a rental home on the Gold Coast

While most tenants put their best foot forward, some are standing out for all the wrong reasons as the rental squeeze takes its toll.

CASH-STUFFED envelopes and sweet treats are the norm when it comes to enticements offered to property managers tasked with the tough job of managing tenants in a rental crisis.

In response, LJ Hooker’s Jessica Melling has added the tips, “don’t offer bribes” and “don’t suck up to the agent too much” to her list of dos and don’ts for prospective tenants.

And while most tenants put their best foot forward, Ms Melling says the sheer numbers coming through the door for every open home inspection means she has seen all sorts of bizarre behaviour.

Jessica Melling LJ Hooker Property Manager

At one inspection, an applicant walked through the home smoking; another swigging from a beer; and a third turned up in less clothing than you’d wear to the beach.

Tenants have brought dogs to the open home, later submitting their application stating they had no pets; while another attempted to scare off the competition by confronting the agent and loudly demanding, ‘tell everyone else to go home because this house is mine’.

Yet trying to secure a lease as weekly rents skyrocket and vacancies stagnate below one per cent is no joke.

And stranded tenants are being struck with a double-edged sword, as investors trickle back in with the promise of bringing more rental properties to market but hike rents to keep pace with inflated house prices.

“We are seeing increased rents with some of our new clients who are purchasing investment properties and renting those houses for the first time, because there is an expectation of the income they will receive based on the purchase price of the home,” said Ms Melling, who has built a strong social media following for her rental advice page, Rent with Jess.

25 Birigun St, Mermaid Waters is for rent for $1,500 per week through Gold Coast Property.

“But while keeping in line with the market, we still have to be cautious that tenants can afford to rent the property.

“We don’t want to be part of the problem when rents keep increasing and the tenants have to leave,” she said.

The asking rent for houses soared by 32 per cent, and 14 per cent for units on the Gold Coast over the year to May, data released by SQM Research shows.

For Coast suburbs south of Burleigh Heads, rents were up a staggering 40 per cent and 8.1 per cent for units, while the northern suburbs were up 28 per cent for houses, and 11 per cent for units.

Tenants Queensland CEO Penny Carr said the excruciatingly tight rental market had forced many Queenslanders to shelter in their cars, couch surf at mates’ homes, or live in other less-than-ideal circumstances.

CEO of Tenants Qld Penny Carr

Those fortunate enough to have a stable rental home were unwilling to assert their rights in fear of retaliation from the landlord at the end of their lease.

“It’s pretty grim out there,” Ms Carr said.

“A lot of people are too scared to raise issues they may have with the property, like necessary repairs, because they are worried about being evicted or asked to leave and not being able to find another place.”

“While certainly some landlords appreciate having a stable long-tern tenant, we’re seeing a lot of opportunist behaviour from landlords who have the ability by law to give the tenant notice to leave at the end of the lease without grounds,” she said.

But real estate veteran Andrew Bell, of Ray White Surfers Paradise, warned lynching the landlord ignored the fundamentals of market economics.

“The reality is that market forces determine rents. There’s been an incredible increase of up of up to 400 per cent in demand for rental properties in some areas, and if rents do not rise then you will see increasing numbers of landlords sell their places as the cost of holding that property keeps going up,” Mr Bell said.

“Rents were dormant for nearly ten years and there’s been a bit of a catch-up which will make it more attractive for investors to buy rental properties, and that is what we really need.”

Originally published as Tips and tricks for tenants applying for a rental home on the Gold Coast