Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Hi all, I am due to arrive in Sydney in December this year. I already know the neighborhoods I want to live in. My concern is the possible resistance of landlords or agencies to enable me to secure one of their properties knowing that I have just arrived to the country. I experienced that while living in Switzerland and it's not pleasant. I had landlords there increasing the bond in 50% just because I wasn't Swiss. Not sure if this happens in Australia, but I better ask now than be sorry later, right? I am coming with a 457 visa and I am wondering which sort of documents can I bring with me from England to help me turn the process as smooth as possible? I am sure my company will back me up and give me a letter... what else? Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mushiko Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I suggest you contact HSBC in the UK and ask the bank to give you the contact of the local branch in Australia where you are planning to live. The local branch can issue you a kind of supporting letter if you can provide certain documents, such as bank statements, salary certificate, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 I suggest you contact HSBC in the UK and ask the bank to give you the contact of the local branch in Australia where you are planning to live. The local branch can issue you a kind of supporting letter if you can provide certain documents, such as bank statements, salary certificate, etc.. thanks, my bank in the UK is actually HSBC. Will check with them with what they can help me with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Just got a reference letter from my last agency in London. And they charged me £30... grrrr But it should help anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Hi all, I am due to arrive in Sydney in December this year. I already know the neighborhoods I want to live in. My concern is the possible resistance of landlords or agencies to enable me to secure one of their properties knowing that I have just arrived to the country. I experienced that while living in Switzerland and it's not pleasant. I had landlords there increasing the bond in 50% just because I wasn't Swiss. Not sure if this happens in Australia, but I better ask now than be sorry later, right? I am coming with a 457 visa and I am wondering which sort of documents can I bring with me from England to help me turn the process as smooth as possible? I am sure my company will back me up and give me a letter... what else? Thanks everyone If you can afford the rent and have a job it really is not so hard. Just takes some organisation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 If you can afford the rent and have a job it really is not so hard. Just takes some organisation. well, if that's the case... good how about the competition of other people trying to get the property? Would you say it's hard, in general? I've been to flat views in Switzerland with a queue of people to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 well, if that's the case... good how about the competition of other people trying to get the property? Would you say it's hard, in general? I've been to flat views in Switzerland with a queue of people to see it. Well nearly everyone is sorted within a few weeks so it can't be that hard. You need to be organised first of all, if you are doing the open houses they are usually on a Saturday or Wednesday so get ready for those days, chose the ones you are going to see, work out how you will get from one to the next. If there is one you really like, contact the estate agent in advance and get the application form, fill it in and take it with you. Put together your rental pack and make several copies. Your rental pack should include a glowing cover letter about yourself (e.g. You are a quiet, tidy individual, with a good job etc etc) and then copies of various document like your passport, visa, job contract, bank statements, reference if you have one. If you like a place, hand in your application and your rental pack as you leave. We did one weekend of open viewings, they weren't completely mental but we didn't really like it and after then we just made private viewing arrangements which we found the agents were more than happy to accommodate. We had assumed it was always open houses as that is what you read on the forums, but definitely worth trying to organise your own viewings as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Well nearly everyone is sorted within a few weeks so it can't be that hard. You need to be organised first of all, if you are doing the open houses they are usually on a Saturday or Wednesday so get ready for those days, chose the ones you are going to see, work out how you will get from one to the next. If there is one you really like, contact the estate agent in advance and get the application form, fill it in and take it with you. Put together your rental pack and make several copies. Your rental pack should include a glowing cover letter about yourself (e.g. You are a quiet, tidy individual, with a good job etc etc) and then copies of various document like your passport, visa, job contract, bank statements, reference if you have one. If you like a place, hand in your application and your rental pack as you leave. We did one weekend of open viewings, they weren't completely mental but we didn't really like it and after then we just made private viewing arrangements which we found the agents were more than happy to accommodate. We had assumed it was always open houses as that is what you read on the forums, but definitely worth trying to organise your own viewings as well. I see. Well, thank you very much Rupert for the info. That helped a lot. Will make sure to get my rental pack sorted. That one I didn't account for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxlornaxx Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 We got a place in a week and organised private viewings too as didnt really want to go open house..easy enough to rent and didnt find we were discriminated agsinst for not being Australian..just b organised like ppl have said n u should have no problem...we were worried too before we came but turns out there was no need to worry..good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solum Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 We got a place in a week and organised private viewings too as didnt really want to go open house..easy enough to rent and didnt find we were discriminated agsinst for not being Australian..just b organised like ppl have said n u should have no problem...we were worried too before we came but turns out there was no need to worry..good luck Thanks xxlornaxx. I feel much better now. Now it's just a matter of finding a nice flat for me in Sydney! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 They can't up the bond, its the same for everyone. The amount will be written on the paperwork you are given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic1171 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I got the first property I applied for but offered 6 month rent in advance as I didn't have regular income, no reference letters but showed bank account with funds, mortgage statement showing regular payments, usual ID stuff and pictures of my UK home the estate agent used when selling. Had to give names of 2 referees bu these were friends and that was advised by the real estate people here, they were neve contacted though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 They can't up the bond, its the same for everyone. The amount will be written on the paperwork you are given. I'd say they can.. There is nothing to stop the agent phoning up an applicant and telling them the landlord thinks 'they have a strong application, but would they consider paying a larger bond to demonstrate their commitment to the property' - or more commonly 'there have been so many good applicants that the landlord asked that people should offer to pay higher than the advertised rent - and how much over would you be prepared to go?'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I'd say they can.. There is nothing to stop the agent phoning up an applicant and telling them the landlord thinks 'they have a strong application, but would they consider paying a larger bond to demonstrate their commitment to the property' - or more commonly 'there have been so many good applicants that the landlord asked that people should offer to pay higher than the advertised rent - and how much over would you be prepared to go?'. Did that happen to you? it didn't happen to us with the three properties we applied for, and we were offered two of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Did that happen to you? it didn't happen to us with the three properties we applied for, and we were offered two of them. No, we were provided a relocation specialist by my company (who knew all the real estate agents - so we got the first house we applied for). I know of colleagues that were asked to pay over the odds or a larger bond (because they had a dog). So it does happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjg Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 No, we were provided a relocation specialist by my company (who knew all the real estate agents - so we got the first house we applied for). I know of colleagues that were asked to pay over the odds or a larger bond (because they had a dog). So it does happen. I can accept a larger bond being asked if pets are present, but otherwise the bond is set at x weeks or months rent. If competition means someone is prepared to pay more than advertised, this may affect the bond a bit, but inferring that a migrant with the same family makeup as a citizen will be forced into a higher bond is discriminatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I can accept a larger bond being asked if pets are present, but otherwise the bond is set at x weeks or months rent. If competition means someone is prepared to pay more than advertised, this may affect the bond a bit, but inferring that a migrant with the same family makeup as a citizen will be forced into a higher bond is discriminatory. I am so glad I don't rent any more; I found the whole thing discriminatory towards tennants. From the regular inspections, the list of demands to get your bond back, the practices we've discussed around pricing and so on. I don't think anyone would be bare faced enough to say because "you're foreign" but I could see a agent making a conditional offer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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